Incident, Coincidence, Pattern
by Person002
Summary: After avenging the death of her family at age seven, Loki became the youngest Alpha werewolf ever, cementing her a place in Deucalion's Alpha Pack. When she's assigned to watch Scott McCall, Loki isn't concerned - she knows she has a tongue of silver and a heart of stone. But Scott's heart is pure gold, and his unfamiliar compassion to her throws Loki off her game.
1. TattooUnleashed

**Let's see how this story goes...**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf**

* * *

 _The seven-year-old girl looked down at her hands. She examined them as though she was seeing them for the first time. They were covered with a dark, thick liquid. It was blood._

Loki's eyes snapped open, her sensitive ears pricking at the sound of footsteps. She moved quietly forward to locate the source of the out of place sound. A teenage boy was stumbling up the stairs of the abandoned bank, looking around. At first glance, Loki assumed he was a drunk human who had gotten lost. But on closer glance, she saw the way his head rotated wasn't random, it was following the sound path of one of their captive's voices. A sound that should have been imperceptible to human ears.

Loki shadowed the teenage boy, following him silently as he moved closer towards the vault where the two Beta werewolves were locked in. She watched as his eyes fell on the open door to the bank vault, watched as he registered that his friends were in there, trapped. And she watched as Kali pounced on him.

The curly haired teen yelped in surprise as the elder werewold tossed him to the ground. Planting a foot on his chest, she let her eyes glow the vibrant crimson of an Alpha and bared her fangs at him. He struggled against her, fighting to get up. Kali turned towards Loki, fangs curling over her lower lip.

"Go find Deucalion," Kali ordered the other girl.

* * *

Scott pulled up in the parking lot of the school. He sat back on his dirt bike, smiling in satisfaction at his ride. His smile faded slightly when he saw two identical motorcycles right next to his, much bigger and more impressive than his dirt bike. Shrugging it off, he grabbed his bag and headed into the school.

"Hey, Scott." The werewolf turned around to see his best friend stumbling up behind him.

"Stiles," Scott greeted his friend, grinning. As the two teenagers walked into the building, Scott began to lay out his new plan for his tattoo to Stiles. The way it had just healed, after he'd spent all that time and money on it, really bothered him.

"Whoa, whoa," Stiles interrupted Scott's explanation. "You want to ask _Derek_ for help? Why?"

"He's got the triskele tattooed on his back," Scott reminded his friend. "So there _has_ to be a way to do it without healing, right?" Stiles shook his head, waving his hands around.

"Okay, yeah, yeah, but doesn't he have his hands a little full?" Stiles motioned to the two MISSING posters tacked up on the school's bulletin board. Scott hesitated, seeing his friends point. His tattoo was trivial in comparison to Boyd and Erica's disappearance. Before he could say anything to Stiles, the back of Scott's neck prickled, giving him the acute sensation that someone was watching him. Scott turned around. A teenage girl was standing by the lockers across the hallway. She had curly hair and tawny brown skin and her head was cocked to the side slightly. She was very pretty, and unfamiliar. When she saw him looking at her, her lips parted and she smiled slightly at him.

"Scott?" The Beta werewolf jumped slightly, and he turned back to his friend. Stiles was looking at him in concern. "You okay?"

"Um…" Scott looked back across the hallway, but the girl was gone. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine."

* * *

The sound of heavy breathing echoed through the locker room, and the sour stench of fear made Loki curl her lip. Both were indicators that the girl they were looking for was behind the door. The young Alpha stepped forward, red overtaking the normal hazel of her eyes as she grabbed the wrists of the mercenary, shoving her backwards with all her strength. Ennis grabbed the girl and slung her into the lockers. The mercenary gasped in pain, but managed to push Ennis off of her. Kali then turned the corner, kicking her across the face. Loki watched as the mercenary fell to the ground, spitting up blood as it coated her teeth. As usual, the Alpha pack's attack was coordinated and silent.

The young woman pushed herself up, propping herself against the lockers as she stared defiantly at the Alphas surrounding her. Deucalion approached the woman, sweeping his cane back and forth in front of him as he walked. He knelt in front of her, putting on hand out to touch her face.

"Beautiful," he mused. "But defiant, aren't you?" The mercenary shook her head. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly. Loki couldn't tell if she was frightened, exhausted, or both. Either way, she managed to respond to Deucalion.

"Because I know something," the mercenary spat. She grunted in pain before continuing. "I know that you're afraid of him."

"Of a teenager boy?" Deucalion sounded mildly amused by this idea.

"Of the man he'll become," the woman corrected, pressing her hand harder into her side, staunching the blood flow.

"I'm aware of a certain potential threat," Deucalion admitted. "But someone once taught me a very smart way to eliminate threat." He paused. "Get someone else to do it for you." The woman's eyes widened with realization. She was smart.

"Derek," she whispered. Deucalion chuckled. He lifted his hand, and then flicked his claws across her throat, spraying blood onto the lockers. Loki looked away instinctively and then scolded herself. The curly haired girl forced herself to turn back to the scene, but Deucalion had already noticed her brief moment of disgust.

"Now, Loki," he said as he walked towards the door. "We've discussed this before. You really must develop a stronger stomach."

* * *

Loki cut the engine on her motorcycle in the parking lot, right next to the twins' bikes. She took off her helmet, and turned towards them.

"Remind me again why we're going to _high_ _school_?" she hissed, lowering her voice enough that no one else would hear her. "It's barely been two days and I'm already sick of this crap."

"Because Deucalion told us too," Ethan muttered back, casting his eyes around the area to make sure no one was listening. "And keep your mouth shut, okay?" Loki rolled her eyes, snatching her helmet up and standing.

"Well, I still think this is a stupid plan." Aiden snorted.

"I agree. But it does have its perks." Loki shook her head in disgust as the three Alphas walked into the apartment building they were staying in. She could guess what 'perks' Aiden was referring to. It didn't take much.

"Yeah, right. Get the three hormone driven teenagers to find a boyfriend or girlfriend that might be important to Scott McCall, or in _my_ case, with _my_ luck, _is_ Scott McCall. Sounds like a _great_ plan to me. Not stupid _at all."_

"Keep your mouth shut," Ethan growled again as they stepped into the elevator. But he wasn't angry. He was nervous, almost afraid. And Loki knew why. She punched the button for their floor as they got in the elevator and looked away from her friends, scoffing.

"Fine. I'll shut up. _For now._ "

* * *

Keeping her eyes on the crouching figure of the teenage Beta – Isaac, she was pretty sure his name was – that had happened across the bank vault a few nights ago, Loki weaved around teenagers on the cross-country team until she was behind him. She stayed far away enough that her proximity wouldn't look odd. Ethan and Aiden, who had no qualms about this, appeared on either sides of the boy, smirking as he stilled. The curly haired Beta looked from side to side and turned around. Loki made sure to look away when Isaac turned around. His memories were fuzzy enough that he shouldn't remember her from the night at the bank, and she was hoping to keep it that way for a while longer.

The whistle shrieked shrilly, and Loki took off. She made sure to stay far behind enough from the twins that she wouldn't be too closely associated with the ensuing fight. Isaac, the Beta, tore past her, sprinting after the twins. She could see the other teenager gaining on them, but she was unconcerned. He was no match of one of them at a time, let alone twins together. And, if need be, she could always intervene to help. The twins put enough distance between them and Loki that they vanished from her sight. Glancing back to make sure no one could see her, Loki ran off the path and into the thick woods. Isaac reached a small clearing in the trail just shortly after the two Alphas, but the small lag had given them enough time to hide in order to surprise him.

Loki slowed down, watching from a distance as Isaac whipped around, panting. He was clearly confused, trying to locate the twins by scent or sound. Before he could do either, Ethan tackled him from behind, sending the Beta sprawling onto the leaves. Aiden moved quickly after his twin, grabbing one of Isaac's arms as Ethan grabbed the other, successfully pinning down their target.

"Ethan," Aiden drawled to his twin. "I always forget," he said, putting on a faux-confused tone. "How many bones in the human body?" Ethan smirked at Isaac sadistically.

"I don't know," he began, twisting Isaac's arm further behind the boys back, making him grunt. "Let's count," he finished. He raised his hand, curling his fingers into a fist but before he could land the punch, he was knocked aside by Scott McCall. Loki heard the crunch as Scott's fist found purchase in Ethan's jaw.

"That's one," Scott said calmly, lips twitching slightly. Isaac used Aiden's momentary surprise to twist out of his grip. Loki's eyes flashed red as her claws extended, ready to jump in to help her friends if they needed it. Before any of the five teen werewolves could make a move, however, a scream split the air. Isaac and Scott exchanged a look and immediately took off towards the source of the sound. Loki frowned, stepping out of the woods and towards her friends.

"What the hell?" Loki asked, looking to the twins. Aiden shook his head, following the two Betas who had just departed. The three Alphas stopped at the group of teenagers gathered around a tree.

"What are they – " the question died on Ethan's lips when he saw what was attached to the tree. "Oh." A teenage boy was being held up against the tree by a length of leather cord. On closer inspection, it turned out to be a dog's leash. Blood had dripped all the way from his throat to shoes. Disgust welled up in Loki's stomach and she looked away for a moment, steeling herself.

"Can't believe we didn't smell it," Loki muttered as she stepped closer. Aiden took a quick breath, and wrinkled his nose.

"We were downwind," he told her, and she nodded in understanding.

"Sh," Ethan shushed his brother and his friend. The two turned to look at him. The blonde boy flicked his head backwards slightly. "They're talking about us." Loki focused her hearing on the three teens that had parted from the larger group.

" _I don't know who that girl is, but I don't care. They killed that kid. They killed the girl who saved me. And I'm gonna kill them too."_ It was Isaac talking.

Loki turned towards the twins, cocking an eyebrow. Before any of them could say anything about this new 'threat,' Coach shooed them away from the crime scene.

"Okay, back to school, alright? Back to school!"

* * *

"So what's the plan now?" Loki asked as she met the twins outside of the boys' locker room. She tugged her leather jacket back on over her shoulders, and began to pull her messy curls into a bun.

"You have class with a few of them next," Aiden muttered back as the walked through the halls, keeping an eye open for any of the other werewolves.

"Just keep an eye on them, keeping laying low." Ethan said. "We'll take care of the rest." Loki sighed, rolling her eyes in irritation.

"You know, I really hate it when I'm out of the loop because of your weird twin bond thing." Aiden smirked.

"Yeah, you've mentioned it. Get going."

* * *

Loki copied down the words on the board in her notebook, but her attention was focused not on the teacher, but on Scott McCall and Isaac Lahey across the room. Scott was leaning across his desk, trying to catch the attention of Isaac, but the other teen wasn't so much as sparing him a glance. The teacher at the front of the room as oblivious as he lectured the relationship and difference between momentum and inertia.

"Danny," the boy sitting next to Loki looked up as the teacher called his name. "What do we know about momentum?"

"It's the produce of mass times velocity," Danny responded easily.

"Mr. Harris, may I use the bathroom?" Isaac interrupted the remainder of Danny's answer. The teacher motioned towards the door, and as Isaac got up, Scott stood as well, stepping forward.

"I have to go to the bathroom too!" Urgency edged his tone, but Loki knew that it wasn't because he needed to pee. She watched Isaac leave the room, a little concerned for the twins. Even though she knew they were more than a match for this scrappy Beta, she was still worried.

"One at a time," Mr. Harris responded. As Scott tried in vain to convince the teacher to let him go after Isaac, Loki focused her hearing on the hallway outside the classroom. She could make out the faint sounds of someone getting hit, but she couldn't tell who it was - one of the twins or Isaac? A thudding sound against the wall attracted the teacher's attention from his lecture to the hallway. Frowning, he opened the door and stepped out, most of the class following him after they heard him gasp in surprise. The scene Loki saw shocked her.

Ethan was sprawled on the ground in front of Isaac, face covered with blood. But where was Aiden? And why did Isaac look not so much as bruised? Loki looked around, and saw the missing twin walking around the corner. That, paired with the confusion on Isaac's face made her realize what happened. She swallowed back a chuckle. _Not bad, boys._

"Ethan?" She turned towards Isaac accusingly. "What the hell is the matter with you?" She snapped, kneeling next to her friend. She turned her back to the crowd so that only Ethan could see the flicker of a smile that came across her face as she knelt next to him.

"Are you alright?" Danny asked Ethan, pulling him up slightly. Ethan grunted, putting on a show.

"He just…he just came at me," Ethan lied. Loki could hear the slight uptick of his heart as he spoke, but other than that there was no indication of his untruth.

"Isaac," Mr. Harris's voice was disapproving. "What the hell did you do?"

* * *

"Loki, remember," Ethan whispered to her as they departed from the nurses office. "You're going after McCall." The dark haired girl glanced around before responding.

"Yeah, I _remember_. Don't worry."

"I _am_ worried," Ethan said. "Because it will be a lot easier for him and his friends to find out who you are than it will be for Lydia and Danny to find out who Aiden and I are. And you heard that Beta in the woods, he wants revenge. You could get hurt." Loki turned towards her friend, torn between being warmed by his concern and being offended by it.

"Oh, Ethan," she said. "You _know_ I'm a good liar. And, even if I wasn't, I can take care of myself. Don't worry about me, okay? Besides, I've been blocking my scent. He has no reason to think that I'm a werewolf, let alone an Alpha."

"Yeah, except for the fact that you're constantly with Aiden and I!" Loki shook her head.

"Ethan. Don't. _Worry._ I'll be fine. I have a plan."

* * *

"Scott, right?" A slightly familiar voice asked from behind him. The Beta turned around, closing his locker. The new girl he'd seen on the first day of school was there. She smiled at him.

"Yeah," Scott said, instantly suspicious. The girl tipped her head to the side slightly, appraising Scott.

"My name is Loki. I'm in your Physics class? I was wondering if you maybe have notes from the rest of the lecture that I could copy down – I had to leave early to take my friend to the nurse." Loki's hair was in a bun on top of her head, and she had a smattering of dark freckles across her nose and cheeks. Her eyes were hazel-y green and very wide. Altogether, she didn't look particularly dangerous. But Scott remembered the protective way she'd looked at Ethan when he was hurt, and the way she was always with the twins, and he was instantly wary. Scott attuned his ears to focus on her heartbeat as he spoke.

"That's all you want? Notes from class?" he asked, listening closely as she answered.

"Um, yeah? What do you mean?" Her heartbeat didn't even flicker, and when Scott breathed in, she didn't smell like a werewolf. She smelled…really nice, actually. Like citrus. And vanilla, maybe. But not like a werewolf. "Scott?"

Scott's attention snapped back to where he was. Loki's eyebrows were creased and she was looking at him in concern.

"If it's too much trouble, I can ask someone else." Scott's eyes widened, and he shook his head.

"No, no, sorry! I was just…" Scott pulled his notebook out of his bag and opened it, revealing a…blank page. "I…" Color rushed to Scott's cheeks. "Sorry, I was distracted during class. I – you probably have more notes than I do." Loki shook her head, smiling at him.

"Don't worry about it." She paused. "Do you, uh…I mean, would you like mine?" Scott looked at her again. Something about her, something about the way she was looking at him made him feel the same way he did when he'd first met Allison.

"Yeah, that would be – " A roar echoed through the hallways, drawing their attention away from one another. Scott's eyes widened.

"What was that?" Loki asked, sounding confused and nervous.

"Um, I – I got to go," Scott said, moving towards the sound of the roar. "But yeah, let's – tonight, okay? Let's do something tonight." He had paused, scribbling something out on a piece of notebook paper, before ripping it out and handing it to her.

"Yeah, okay." Loki called after him. Once he was out of sight, she sighed, smirking in amusement. _Too. Easy._ Ethan and Aiden rounded the corner. "Told you I could handle it," she said to Ethan in a singsong tone. He rolled his eyes.

"Handle what?" Aiden asked. "What's happening?" Loki flicked the piece of paper in between her fingers.

"Looks like I have a date tonight."

* * *

Loki was already sitting towards the back of the room when the twins came in. She'd warned them to keep their distance from her for the rest of the day, in order to dissuade suspicion in Scott and his friends. Still, she kept a close eye on them.

She watched as Scott sat down in the desk next to the twins, staring directly at them. Once they turned to look at him, he smiled innocently, pulling out a gear from his bag. Even from the back of the classroom, Loki could tell that it was a gear from one of the twins' bikes. She tensed. She could hear Scott taunting the twins quietly, and she curled her fingers under the wood of the desk, silently willing the twins to stay calm. It didn't work.

Aiden leapt to his feet, running out of the room.

"Wait. Aiden, don't!" Ethan yelled after his brother.

"What in the world?" Ms. Blake asked, sounding confused. Then, the unmistakable sound of a motorcycle engine being revved ripped through the otherwise silent halls. Ms. Blake's eyes narrowed, and she rushed out of the classroom, being followed by most of the class. For the second time that day, Loki found herself running out of class to find one of the twins in an odd situation.

Aiden was standing at the front of his bike, in the middle of the no longer empty hallway. As he looked around, it seemed to dawn on him that he'd been set up.

"You have got to be kidding me," Ms. Blake said, sounding disgusted. "You realize this is going to result in a suspension."

* * *

"I can't believe you guys actually _merged_ in the middle of a _school hallway_ just because Aiden made a colossally stupid, reckless mistake." Loki ranted at the twins. Both of them still had a scratch on each cheek where Deucalion had nicked them.

"Yeah, we get it, thanks," Ethan snapped. Loki rolled her eyes.

"Okay, well, I'm going to Scott's. Try not to screw up between now and the time I get back, yeah?"

* * *

"So, what's your deal with the twins?" Scott asked Loki as casually as possible. The two teenagers were in his room, studying for Physics. She looked up, frowning.

"Ethan and Aiden? What do you mean? They're my friends." Scott nodded.

"Right, right. But aren't you both new in town? I mean…" Loki nodded, expression clearing.

"Oh, yeah. Well, the three of us were the only new juniors this year, and the school did a orientation thing during the summer for us, and I got to know them then." Loki shrugged. "I haven't really gotten a chance to meet more people." Scott nodded, but he was frowning. Loki pretended to be confused. "Why do you ask?"

"I just…you might want to be wary of them." Scott said. Loki's eyebrows creased, but before she could say anything, someone knocked on the door. The two teenagers turned towards the doorway, and standing there was a soaking wet Isaac. His shoulders were slumped.

"Isaac?" Scott asked, sounding both concerned and confused.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," he said. "I…I was wondering if I could ask you a favor," he said. His eyes flicked to Loki.

"Um, I should be going anyways." She packed up her stuff and slung her bag across her shoulder. "Scott, this was fun." He nodded, smiling at her. "I'll…see you two around." As Loki left Scott's house, she couldn't help but feel slightly guilty. It was just so easy to fool Scott - and it was too bad, too. If he hadn't been one of their targets, Loki could see herself liking him anyways.

 _Yeah,_ Loki thought to herself as she walked through the rain to her motorcycle. _It really is too bad._

* * *

 **So please leave any feedback and/or constructive criticism for me in a review. Thank you!**


	2. FrayedMotel California

**Arianna Le Fey: Thank you so much! :) and yes, Scott and Loki are endgame, although I can't promise it will always be smooth sailing for them.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf**

 **also, here's a trigger warning just in case. there's no suicide explicitly mentioned in this chapter but it's based of an episode that centers around it, so.**

* * *

 _Loki watched from the shadows of the abandoned mall as the battle progressed. She'd been strictly instructed by Deucalion to do nothing, to not reveal herself to Scott or any of his friends for as long as possible. She wasn't sure exactly why he cared so much, because he didn't seem to have any qualms about Scott knowing what the rest of the pack was up to. But still, she listened to Deucalion's orders. She managed to stay far enough from the actual battle that she shouldn't have been noticed._

 _But she hadn't counted on another person showing up._

 _The hunter from school was there, standing just opposite of Loki on the second floor. Her attention had been focused not on Loki, but on the fight below, where Loki's pack had just gained the upper hand. The arrows she was firing were flashbang arrows, and the blinking light seared in Loki's eyes, making her look away. That momentary distraction gave the hunter enough time to see Loki._

 _The female Alpha screwed her eyes shut, trying to distill the pain. When she reopened them, Allison was staring directly at her. The archer's lips were parted in confusion, but Loki knew that she would put two and two together. The damage had been done._

 _Loki had left the mall after that, returning to the penthouse her pack had been staying. It wasn't until the others returned that she learned how badly injured Ennis was._

* * *

"Am I getting too close? I'm getting way too close, aren't I?" Allison babbled nervously as she kept the Beacon Hills High School bus she was following in sight. The huntress and her best friend had been following the school bus for hours, and now they were directly behind it. Lydia sighed in faux-boredom, checking her nails as she responded.

"That depends. Are you just following the bus, or are you planning on _mounting_ it at some point." Allison winced and nodded.

"Yeah, I should back off." Lydia hummed.

"Well, that also depends. Oh, are you talking about the bus, or the ex-boyfriend you're currently stalking?" This time, Allison scoffed and shook her head in response to her friends remark.

"After what happened last night, I'm not letting him out of my sight." She glanced over at Lydia before continuing. "And besides, I _saw_ that girl he's been with there. I don't know what she was doing, but that's definitely not innocent." Lydia snorted.

"So what, is this you getting jealous that he's moved on?" Allison shook her head vehemently.

"No! That is – no! I'm just… _worried_. For a friend. I want him to be safe." Lydia let out a breath of amusement.

"So what are you going to do? Just walk up to him – 'hey, Scott, by the way, I'm swear I'm not jealous or anything, but that new girl you're with? Don't be with her, she's evil.' Yeah, that doesn't sound possessive at all." Allison scowled, tightening her grip on the steering wheel.

"Well, if I have to, I'll tell him point blank what I saw." Lydia hummed, clearly unconvinced and unimpressed. Allison continued, her voice adopting a defensive tone. "And by the way, _this_ all started when he came knocking at _my_ door."

* * *

Loki sighed in frustration, looking out the window of the bus. She checked her phone and then glanced over at Ethan. He shook his head slightly and she faced forward again. After the battle last night, it was ridiculous how she, Ethan and the three Betas were all on the same bus together. Every now and then, Loki would tune her ears to listen into Stiles and Scott, Boyd and Isaac, or Danny and Ethan. None of their conversations up to this point had been particularly interesting.

She half-listened to the coach berating some kid she didn't know for what was his apparently consistent habit of getting carsick when on road trips.

"McCall, not you too!" Okay, that caught Loki's attention. She turned towards Scott in the back of the bus. He was resting his head against the window like it was too heavy to hold up, and his eyes were half-closed. When the coach called his name, he looked up, opening his eyes in an attempt to seem alert.

"No, Coach. I'm good." Loki focused her senses, inhaling slightly and cringing when the smell of blood hit her nose. Something else, something bitter bordered the smell of blood. It smelled like poison, like infection. Whatever it was, Scott clearly wasn't healing. Even though she knew that she shouldn't care about Scott, concern welled in her.

Loki sighed and checked her phone again. The bus came to a sudden halt, making Loki's knees slam against the seat in front of her. Peering out the window, she realized that they were stuck in a major traffic jam. She groaned.

"Perfect," she muttered under her breath. The distinct sound of growling pulled her attention from the seemingly infinite line of cars to Boyd and Isaac sitting a few seats away from her. She saw Boyd's hand curl around the edge of the seat, and he sunk his claws into the leather cushioning. She could hear his heart beat picking up. Loki shook her head, glancing from Boyd to Ethan. Ethan seemed unaware of the potential threat. Loki leaned forward, tensing, ready to defend Ethan if she needed to.

Something hit the side of her seat. It was Scott, staggering his way up the bus to get to Boyd. She saw him grab the other boys hand, saw him lean close to Boyd. And she saw Boyd calm down. Loki kept her eyes on Scott as he pulled himself to his feet and limped back to his seat at the back of the bus. Loki glanced at her phone again, straining her ears to catch their conversation.

" _Crisis averted?"_ Stiles asked his friend. Scott grunted affirmatively, dropping back into his seat.

" _Okay, good. 'Cause we've got another problem. Ethan keeps checking his phone, like every five minutes. It's like he's waiting for something, you know a message, or a signal of some kind. I don't know, something evil though – I can tell. I have a very perceptive eye for evil, you know what."_ Stiles said this all very fast and he had to stop to take a breath before continuing. " _Also, your little girlfriend Loki is checking her phone too._ And _she hangs around the twins all the time. Tell me that isn't at least a tiny bit suspicious?"_ Loki tensed automatically, waiting for Scott's response. She forced herself to relax, facing the front so it wasn't obvious that she was listening.

" _Stiles, she doesn't smell like a werewolf. And she's not my girlfriend! But she can't – she's not with them. She told me so, and she wasn't lying."_ Loki felt the slightest bit guilty about fooling Scott, but she forced herself to squash it down. She had her orders, and she was following them.

" _Whoa, whoa. You_ asked _her?!"_

" _Not directly! That's not what we have to worry about anyways. I don't like Ethan – "_ Loki let her attention fall away from Stiles and Scott's conversation, instead focusing on her phone. She refreshed her messages again. Patience was not one of her strong suits. Glancing back at Ethan, she saw he was talking to Danny, and Loki leaned slightly closer to catch his words. Ethan was talking very softly, making Loki think that he didn't want her to hear whatever he was about to say.

" _\- family member in the hospital. He might not last much longer."_ Loki exhaled, struggling to control her irritation. Ethan had no business telling Danny what was going on. Loki watched as Danny nodded, placing his hand on Ethan's arm as if to comfort him. A moment passed and the dark haired human pulled out his phone, typing out a message. Ethan glanced over at Loki, looking guilty. The girl gave him a disapproving look, and he dropped his gaze.

* * *

Loki got off the bus and the rest area, taking a deep breath of fresh air in. Despite the Coach's protests, he had been forced to pull into the rest stop after Stiles had convinced Jared to throw up everywhere. Most people were running of the bus, trying to get away from the smell, but Stiles and Scott were moving slowly. Scott's arm was thrown over his friends shoulder and it looked like he couldn't walk on his one. The huntress from last night came running up to the two boys, grabbing Scott's other arm and taking some of his weight. Loki watched them, and her eyes widened when she saw the blood stain on Scott's shirt. Rolling her eyes, she turned away, walking over to where Ethan and Danny were talking and grabbing the other Alpha's shirt.

"Excuse us Danny, we need to talk." She pulled Ethan to a safe distance away, near a tree before speaking. "Scott's still bleeding. How bad did you two injure him?" Ethan narrowed his eyes at her.

"I don't know, and I don't care. For that matter, you shouldn't either. Getting a little attached, are we?" Loki scowled at her friend.

" _We_ is right, huh? What about you and Danny? Why the hell did you tell him about Ennis?" Ethan opened his mouth to defend himself, but before he could get any words out, Isaac came out of nowhere and hit him in the face. "Hey, what the hell?" Loki yelled, grabbing the Beta's arm. He shoved her aside, and she hit the ground hard. Someone helped her up, pulling her to her feet from behind.

She moved to intervene between the two werewolves, but Ethan flicked his hand away ever so slightly, making her pause. The blonde Alpha tried to push himself up, but Isaac grabbed him by the front of his shirt and held him in place, punching him again and again. Danny tried to grab Isaac and pull him away from his boyfriend, but the Beta was stronger. The werewolf shook Danny off of him easily, raising his fist to hit Ethan again.

"ISAAC!" Scott's voice ripped through the crowd, and everyone fell silent. Isaac looked up at Scott and then down at Ethan. Breathing heavily, the curly haired boy dropped Ethan to the ground, straightening up slowly. Danny immediately rushed to Ethan's aide, helping him sit up. Loki was about to help as well, when the buzzing of her phone distracted her. The girl stopped short, holding her breath as she pulled out her phone. It was a text from Aiden.

 _He's gone._ Closing her eyes, Loki took a deep breath. Her fingers curled around her phone as she squeezed her hands into fists. Forcing herself to relax before she smashed the phone, she glanced over at Ethan. The second their eyes met, she could tell he knew what had happened. Ennis was dead. And it was Derek's fault.

* * *

"Loki, wake up." Ethan shook his friend's shoulder and she opened her eyes immediately. He wasn't sure if she'd actually been asleep or not, but he doubted it. He knew that Loki often had trouble sleeping. "We're stopping for the night." The darker skinned teen nodded. She grabbed her bag and stood up, moving with too much grace that made sense for someone who had been sitting for the last four hours. The cross-country team gathered outside the bus, surrounding their coach. He blew his whistle, silencing the murmurs in the crowd and pulling everyones attention towards him.

"Listen up! The meet's been pushed till tomorrow. This is the closest motel with the most vacancies and least amount of good judgment when it comes to accepting a bunch of degenerates like yourselves. You'll be pairing up, choose wisely." Loki watched as Ethan whispered something in Danny's ear that made him smile. She could guess what he was saying, and she rolled her eyes. "And I'll have no sexual perversions!" Coach yelled after the teenagers as they walked away with their keys. Loki plucked one from Coach's hand, heading away to the room without a partner. "Keep your dirty little hands to your dirty little selves!" Loki had purposely avoided finding someone to room with, hoping that she could get away with her own room. Apparently it had worked.

Letting herself into room 202, she tossed her bag onto one of the beds and flopped down on the other. She nudged her shoes off without standing up and peeled the sweatshirt she was wearing off, revealing a thin camisole. Despite the fact that she'd spent the whole day on a bus, Loki was exhausted. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep.

* * *

"Loki?" a familiar voice pulled the curly haired girl from her sleep. She blinked her eyes open, and standing at the foot of her bed was Scott. He was staring down at her, eyes glazed over.

"Scott?" She said, sitting up. "How did you get in?" He placed a hand on her shoulder, pushing her back down. He leaned over her, running his hands down the sides of her body and playing with the hem of her shirt.

"The door was unlocked." Something about his voice was off, like he was dazed or something. His eyes were unfocused, and his voice sounded detached, almost robotic. Loki found herself not caring. She leaned up a little closer to him, curling one arm around his neck and using the other to pull him down towards her.

"Well, I hope you locked it behind you," she murmured flirtatiously. Scott hummed in affirmation as he leaned forward, closing the gap between them.

* * *

Loki sat up in bed, the sheets pooling around her waist. Scott was gone. Loki raised an eyebrow, a little confused. It seemed out of character for a gentleman like Scott to leave without saying anything. Then again, it had seemed out of character for him to come into her room at all. Shrugging, Loki got out of bed, pulling some clothes out of her bag and putting them on. As she tugged the shirt over her face, she caught sight of herself in the mirror.

Her eyes were bright blue.

Loki's breath caught in a gasp, her throat drying. She blinked rapidly, trying to dispel the image, but it didn't disappear. Stepping forwards towards to the mirror, she looked more closely. Her eyes were still the glowing blue of a werewolf who had taken an innocent life. Loki shook her head rapidly, breath coming out in short gasps.

"No, no, no…" she muttered, backing away. "They weren't – they weren't innocent. I'm an Alpha. They deserved it, they weren't innocent." She looked in the mirror again, her breathing ragged. "They killed my family. They weren't innocent." She repeated, babbling. Despite the fact that the real Loki had backed away from the mirror on the wall, the Loki reflected in the mirror hadn't moved. She was staring forward coolly, cobalt eyes shining cruelly.

"Oh, Elizabeth," the reflection breathed, using Loki's birth name. "You lie to everyone so well. It's just a shame you can't lie to yourself." The reflection bared its fangs. "Such a _shame_." Loki screamed in frustration, driving her fist through the mirror. Instead of it breaking into shards and cutting her hand, however, Loki's fist hit the wall and created a dent. Loki stepped back; gasping for air as she stared at the place the mirror had been in confusion. There was no mirror, only a wall.

* * *

Loki threw the door open, running outside of her room. She felt like she couldn't breath, and everywhere she looked she saw a mirage of herself with glowing blue eyes, claws dripping with blood. The Alpha crashed into the railing, trying to hold herself up as she gasped for air. She could feel all the inhibitions she'd placed on herself to keep anyone from noticing she was a werewolf – blocking her scent, slowing her reflexes – disappearing. She looked down at her hands, and saw three things. One, her claws were out. Two, her hands were covered in blood. Three, lying at her feet were her two best friends. Ethan and Aiden lay on the ground. Their throats had been ripped out.

"No..." Loki whimpered.

 _"Please, Elizabeth…" The Alpha responsible for her parents' death had dragged himself down to the basement of his packs house. Loki had tracked the pack there after she'd found her parents bodies in her home. Her parents – humans who were aware of the supernatural world – had died because they'd refused to let Loki join the Alpha's pack after she'd been bitten. The Alpha thought that if Loki's parents died, she'd come running to his pack willingly. He was wrong. Loki let her eyes glow again as she lifted her claws._

 _"Don't call me that," she ordered him. The Alpha gasped in pain. He might have been older and stronger, but Loki was smarter, quicker, and more driven. And with every Beta werewolf of his that she had killed, she'd become stronger. And really, this Alpha was a joke. He had no idea how to use his strength, and he was so power-hungry that it made him stupid. "You killed my parents." She told him. "They didn't need to die."_

 _"Neither – neither did my pack. They were – innocent." The Alpha growled at her. "And your eyes show it." Loki glanced to her left at a broken window. It was reflective enough for her to see that her eyes were blue. And she knew what that meant._

 _"Not anymore, they don't," Loki responded. She brought her claws down on the Alpha's throat, and her eyes changed once more, to a crimson color that matched the blood on her claws. Loki felt power rush through her veins, and a feeling she'd never felt before crept up her spine. Letting it overtake her, Loki shifted completely._

 _A wolf had taken the place were a small girl had just stood. The wolf's fur was dark, and its eyes were red. The fur around its front paws was matted with a thick liquid. Loki lifted her head and howled her success at the kill and her misery at her loneliness to the moon._

 _At this moment, neither the girl nor the wolf felt the guilt of the massacre it had caused._

 _That would come later._

"Loki, Loki!" Someone was grabbing at her wrists. Loki opened her eyes, and snarled at the human in front of her. It was Stiles. "Lydia, now!" A searing pain hit Loki in her ribcage and she went limp, falling to the ground. She clapped her hand to the side of her body, staring at Lydia in surprise. The redhead was holding an emergency flare in her hand, and she looked terrified. Stiles was staring at her. Loki closed her eyes.

"I, uh…" She stood up, backing away from the two teenagers. "Sorry." She fled into her room, slamming the door shut and cursing herself. "So much for lying low."

* * *

"Scott?" The dark haired boy looked at his best friend. Scott had changed out of his gasoline soaked clothes, but he could still smell the fuel all around him.

"What's up?" Stiles waved his hands around, looking like he was trying to find a way to say something that he knew Scott wasn't going to like. "Stiles, spit it out."

"Okay, okay. It's just…I know what you said, about Loki not smelling like a wolf and everything, but…" Stiles hesitated here. "But whatever happened to the rest of you guys tonight, it happened to her too. I saw her shift, right in front of me. Lydia did too." Lydia nodded in affirmation. "And that's not it. The night at the mall, Allison said she saw Loki there." Scott looked at his ex-girlfriend and she nodded, looking regretful.

"She was there. She wasn't fighting, but she was there." Scott shook his head, unwilling to believe that Loki was with the Alpha pack, that Loki was his enemy. He and Loki, who just earlier that night had been together.

"That doesn't – that doesn't make any sense. Are you sure?" Stiles nodded, but it was Lydia who answered Scott's question out loud.

"One hundred percent. And…she's not just a werewolf." Scott frowned in confusion. Stiles finished Lydia's statement.

"Scott, she's an Alpha."

* * *

Ethan knocked at Room 202, where Coach had said Loki had slept. There was no response. He tested the doorknob and found it unlocked. When Ethan opened the door, he saw Loki sitting on her bed. She was curled up in a ball, hands wrapped around her legs tightly, her chin resting on her knees. She was staring out into space and made no indication that she'd heard him com in.

"Are you okay?" he rushed over to her, pulling her arms out to examine her body for wounds. "What happened?" Loki focused her eyes on him at last.

"Last night…" her voice trailed off. She shook her head. "Stiles and Lydia know. I screwed up." She covered her face with her hands, rubbing her eyes. The other werewolf sat down next to her, still holding on to her hands. "And somehow, that wasn't the worst thing that happened to me last night." Ethan wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed her to his chest.

"Same dream?" he asked. She shook her head.

"It wasn't a dream. I – I was awake. It was…I don't know, but it was weird. I thought I had..." She took a deep breath and shook Ethan off of her. "Never mind. I'm almost ready, I just need to brush my teeth." Ethan nodded, knowing not to push Loki too hard. He stood up, and took a good look around the motel room. He noticed that there was a fist sized hole in the wall, and also that the sheets were all messed up, despite the fact that Loki hadn't been sleeping. That and the faint smell in the room...when his friend came out of the bathroom, he smirked at her, nodding at the bed.

"Looks like someone didn't keep her 'dirty little hands' to her 'dirty little self.'" Loki snorted, shoving him.

"Yeah, like you're one to talk."

* * *

When Loki boarded the bus, just in front of Danny she saw that Isaac, Boyd, Stiles, Lydia, Allison, and Scott were all asleep on the bus.

"I don't want to know. I _really_ don't want to know," Coach said, waking them up with his loud words. "But in case you missed the announcement, the meet's canceled. We're heading home. Pack it in." Loki exchanged a glance with Ethan and he nodded. The two Alphas headed over to where Stiles and Scott were sitting. Ethan sat next to Stiles, and Loki slid into the seat next to Scott. The dark haired boy looked at her, his eyes surprisingly tender. Loki looked away, feeling guilty. She wished he wouldn't look at her like that.

"Okay," she began to talk in a low voice. "I don't know what happened last night."

"But I'm pretty sure you saved my life," Ethan interrupted her. His eyes were focused on Scott, something that Stiles noticed and commented on.

"Actually, I saved your life." Ethan and Loki both gave Stiles a look and he backtracked quickly. "But not that it – not that it matters that much, just a minor detail." Ethan waved a hand, cutting Stiles off.

"The point is, we're going to give you something. Derek's still alive." Scott's eyes widened with hope and disbelief, and Loki held up her hand.

"Probably. We're pretty sure." She glanced around and lowered her voice. "That being said, he killed one of ours. Which means one of two things."

"Either he joins our pack," Ethan said, letting Scott piece the rest of it together.

"And kills his own," Scott muttered. Ethan nodded.

"Or Kali goes after him, and we kill him. That's the way it works." Stiles snorted from behind them. He couldn't resist the urge to make a sarcastic comment.

"You know, your little code of ethics there is sort of barbaric. Just F.Y.I." Ethan rolled his eyes, getting up and leaving the seat next to Stiles. Loki made to move after him, but Scott grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards him. Scott's touch surprised her, but what surprised her more was the way she reacted to it. If anyone else had grabbed her, she would have tensed. When Scott touched her arm she didn't so much as flinch.

"Can I talk to you?" He asked. Loki looked around and shrugged, motioning for him to continue "You're a werewolf – an Alpha. And you're in the Alpha pack." Loki nodded calmly. Scott shook his head. "That doesn't make sense – I couldn't tell that you were lying. And you didn't smell like a werewolf - but you do now. How did you do that?" Loki shrugged again.

"It takes practice. One day you may be able to do it too." Scott nodded absentmindedly, but Loki could tell that that was only the first of many questions he had. She sighed inwardly and prepared herself for the onslaught.

"How did you get into the Alpha pack?" he asked. Loki smirked at him, a stray curl falling in front of her mischievous hazel eyes.

"That's for me to know for now," she murmured, brushing her fingers against his face. Scott didn't pull away, but Loki could feel the intense stares of Scott's friends against her back and she could hear Stiles scoffing from behind her as she did so. "If you figure it out, maybe I'll tell you." Loki tried to slide out of the bench again, but Scott tightened his grasp around her wrist, pulling her closer towards him again.

"One more question. Does that mean – " he hesitated. "Everything – last night? Was that just for show? Another lie? Because that's not fair." Loki smiled slightly and leaned closer to Scott.

"What do you think?" Scott glared at her.

"I don't know. And, honestly, I don't know why I'm asking you. You can just lie and I'd never know." Loki laughed, slightly amused by Scott.

"Well, Scott, if we were both human you'd have just as tough a time figuring it out. So, here's a little tip about me. There are ways besides my heartbeat that tell you if I'm lying. If you can figure them out, then maybe this little relationship will work out." Loki grinned at him.

"We're _not_ in a relationship," Scott growled. Loki held up a finger and pressed it to Scott's mouth.

"Last night was fun. And if it's too soon in this _relationship_ ," Loki spoke almost mockingly as she emphasized the word. "For you to know whether I'm lying or not, well…" She traced her finger around Scott's lips flirtatiously. "I guess we'll have to keep seeing each other and find out." Her eyes glinted with mirth as Scott scowled at her. "Besides, Scotty, you are in no position to tell me that you were completely in your right mind last night when you came to my room. And so…" she twisted her wrist out of Scott's hand and slid out of the seat. "I guess we're both in the wrong there." She stood up, enjoying the pissed off look on Scott's face. "So, I'll see you around."

* * *

 **Please leave a review and let me know what you think.**


	3. Currents

**Mina Luriya: Thank you so much! And yeah, this is my favorite season too. I love the twins lol :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf, just Loki**

* * *

Loki sat in her Physics class, chin down on the desk as she looked to the front of the room. She glanced briefly at the empty seat next to her – Danny's seat. Ethan had returned from his date the night before clearly shaken, and he had told her and Ethan what had happened. She wasn't sure if he'd told the rest of the pack, but she was guessing he hadn't. Kali had enough on her mind, and Deucalion would likely be disapproving of Ethan's still spending time with Danny, now that they knew that Lydia was the important one. Loki was willing to bet that Ethan disagreed.

"Good morning," Ms. Blake entered the classroom, placing a textbook down on the edge of the desk. Loki raised her eyebrows. Why was an English teacher subbing for Physics? "As you all know, Mr. Harris is still missing – I mean, sick. Anyway, I'm filling in while we all hope and pray for a more qualified substitute to take my place. Okay, let's get started, shall we?" Loki turned around in her seat, looking towards Scott. She hadn't talked to him much since they'd left the motel. As she watched, his phone rang, and he bent behind the desk to answer it. Loki leaned forward, pretending to pay attention to Ms. Blake while she actually listened to Scott on the phone.

" _I'm going to be taken. I need you to find me."_ The voice was unfamiliar, and although the words were cryptic, was extremely calm and even.

" _Doc, what's going on?"_ Scott, on the other hand, was not calm or even. A beep alerted Loki to the end of the call, and greater panic edged Scott's voice. " _Doc, Doc?"_

* * *

A tapping noise was echoing through the school hallways. It sounded like someone knocking against wood. And it made Scott frown, distracting him from his original course. He began to walk in direction of the noise, away from his original path. It led him to the music room, and Scott pushed the door open. Deucalion was there, tapping his cane against the wood of the piano.

"Do you know what a metronome is, Scott?" The Beta didn't answer vocally, but every muscle in his body was tensed, anticipating an attack. "It's a tool to help you maintain a steady rhythm once you've set the tempo," Deucalion continued casually. "Something tells me that the tempo of your life has sped up considerably in the last few hours. If you'd like, I could help slow it down to a more manageable pace." Scott's eyes widened, and he leaned forward.

"How?" Loki stepped out of the shadows of the music room, and Scott's heart leapt into his throat. Despite the fact that she'd lied about who she was, there was something about Loki that made Scott want to trust her. Even though he hadn't known her long, the last few days he'd spent without her had been weird. It was almost like Allison all over again.

"Loki is the best tracker I've ever met, both by human and wolf standards," Deucalion said. "She'll help you find Deaton." Scott's hands clenched into fists, and his breath started coming faster. "Your heart is pounding," Deucalion noted. "But it's not fear, it's anger." Deucalion stepped forward. "I bet I know what you're thinking. Does he have something to do with Deaton's disappearance?" Deucalion stopped, and pulled his cane into his hands so it was lying parallel to Scott. Loki's fists clenched. "Tell you what. If you can get the cane away from me, I'll tell you exactly where he is."

"Deucalion," Loki said, stepping forward. He turned his head to the side, and looked at her. She stopped, glancing at the ground. Scott could smell the fear rushing through her, and his heartbeat picked up again, anger surging through his veins.

"Now, Scott. What do you think?" Scott rushed forward, and Deucalion reacted quickly. He stepped back, evading Scott's strike. The teenager rolled to the ground, and rapidly flipped back up. Deucalion twirled his cane around, knocking aside Scott's fists with ease. The Beta leapt at the elder man once more, and Deucalion thrust the hidden blade of his cane into Scott's shoulder. Scott fell to the ground, gripping the wounded area and groaning. Deucalion raised his cane again, and that's when Loki lost her composure.

"Deucalion, enough!" She ran to Scott's side, kneeling beside the wounded boy. Loki could hear the blade whipping through the air, and it grazed her cheek, drawing blood to the surface. She winced, instinctively pressing a hand against the narrow scratch, not unlike the ones the twins had received just a few days ago. Loki knew it wasn't an accident, but it was Deucalion's way of warning her not to intervene again. She exhaled in pain, gripping Scott's arm and shielding him from Deucalion.

"Loki…" Deucalion managed to fit an entire warning into just her name. The curly haired girl closed her eyes and pressed her forehead to Scott's cheek, determined to keep herself between Deucalion and Scott. "Well Scott, that was impressive, but you know I'm not the one slashing up innocent people. Praying to ancient gods or gathering herbs or whatever the hell druids are supposed to do. I _am_ part of a pack that wants Derek dead, though. Kali is coming for him. So there's a difficult choice you're about to face. Because someone is going to die tonight. And whether that's Derek or Deaton, that's up to you."

"Just tell me where he is," Scott snapped. Deucalion smiled cruelly. He held his cane out, tickling the sharp tip over Loki's skin. He wasn't applying enough pressure for it to hurt, but she still flinched away from the cold blade. Scott could hear the spike in her heartbeat, could smell her fear. He growled. "Leave her alone. _Tell me._ " Deucalion laughed.

"I'll give you a very important clue, and leave the rest up to you and Loki here. Let the current guide you." With that, Deucalion exited the room, leaving the two teenagers alone.

"Scott, you okay?" Loki asked, pressing her hands over Scott's wound. He nodded, pushing himself up with a groan.

"Do you – know? Where he is?" Loki shook her head.

"I don't. Deucalion wouldn't tell me." Scott looked into her wide hazel eyes and nodded. Even though she'd given him no reason to believe her other than her word, Scott trusted her.

"It's okay. I know what we need to do."

* * *

"Okay, why are we at my apartment building? Because if it's the reason I think it is, that seems pretty irresponsible given the circumstances." Scott stared at the Alpha werewolf, looking torn between amusement and annoyance. Loki's smile was stretched wide across her face, large and mischievous.

"The Argents live here too. Come on." Scott grabbed her hand, pulling her after him. Once he reached the apartment that the Argents lived in – one floor down from Loki's home – he knocked on the door. Allison opened it almost immediately. Her eyebrows creased when she saw Loki behind Scott.

"What is she doing here?" Scott held up a hand.

"Allison, it's okay. I trust her." The huntress stared at him in disbelief, shaking her head.

"Scott, are you kidding me?" Her voice dropped to a whisper, as though Loki wouldn't hear her if she lowered her voice. Scott gave the dark haired girl a pleading look and she sighed in resignation. "Fine. Come in." She led the two werewolves into her room. "Okay, so I was looking through my dad's drawers when I found this." She held up a black light. The elevator dinged, and Allison swore under her breath. "He wasn't supposed to be back yet."

"What do we do? Where should we go?" Allison looked around and opened the door to her closet.

"Get in there, both of you." Scott nodded, and Loki quickly followed him into the small space. "Stay quiet," Allison ordered. Due to the confined area, Loki and Scott were pressed together. Scott curled his arm around the other werewolf's waist, pulling her close to him. And it didn't take long for Scott to react to their close proximity. Loki glanced down and then back up, grinning at Scott.

"Classy," she whispered, waggling her eyebrows. He rolled his eyes, clearly embarrassed.

"Shut up." Loki pressed a hand over her mouth, suppressing a giggle, which made Scott smile. A few moments later, Loki heard a door click shut down the hall and Allison opened the door to the closet, beckoning the other two teens out.

"Come on." She led them down the hallway and into an office. Walking behind the desk, she paused. "See this map? Last time we were in here talking, he put a book over it. There was something about the way he did it, it was like – it was like he was trying to cover it." Loki looked at the map for anything out of the ordinary, but found nothing.

"I don't see anything," Scott said, and Loki hummed in agreement, squinting her eyes.

"Yeah, you can't." Allison waved the black light around. "Until you use this." She moved it over the map, and little marks began to glow. "He's been tracking and marking everything. Cora and Boyd at the bank, the Alphas in the penthouse above us," Allison glanced at Loki. "He has a mark for where someone's been taken and a different one for where the body is found." Allison took a deep breath. "Now here's the scary part. There have been six sacrifices, right?" Scott nodded. "There are twelve markings on the map."

"What? What does that mean? Did you dad find other bodies and not tell anyone?" Allison shook her head.

"I don't think so," she said quietly. "I think he knows where the bodies are going to be found. So one of these six locations, one of these is where Deaton could end up. I mean, it doesn't tell us where he's being kept right now but – "

"But it's close to figuring it out," Loki said, touching one of the markings.

* * *

Loki's phone buzzed in her hand, and she glanced down at it. She and Scott had just left arrived at the animal clinic, and Scott was talking to Stiles and the others about what he and Loki had found at Allison's house. None of them were paying attention to her, so Loki turned away and answered the incoming call.

" _We need your help."_ It was Aiden. Loki could hear the harried breaths of a woman and the snarls of Ethan and Kali in the background. Her hand tightened around her phone.

"I'm _busy_ ," she hissed.

" _I don't care. We need your help._ _We're at the loft."_ Loki sighed, glancing back at Scott. She was about to give into Aiden's request, but a sharp stab of guilt and regret stopped her when she saw Scott's face. Clearly the group had just had a break through, because he looked incredibly hopeful for the first time that day.

"No," she said. Aiden inhaled sharply, and Loki had known him long enough to know that he was about to yell at her for not listening to him, so before he could start she spoke. "Aiden, I'm staying with Scott." Loki lowered her voice as she continued. "I need him to trust me for a little bit longer, and I don't know what's going down at the loft, but I'm willing to bet that my participation it won't help me with that." Aiden responded by hanging up, and Loki snorted when she heard the dial tone. When she looked up, Scott was walking over to her.

"We know where to go," he said. Even as he spoke, his face was guarded, and Loki could tell that something had happened in the past few moments that had made him wary of her once again. "Do you know what's happening at the loft?" he asked. He was clearly in a rush, because even as he talked he was pulling her in the direction of his dirt bike. Loki shook her head.

"No, I don't," she answered truthfully.

"I can't tell if you're lying, so you're coming with me," Scott said, leaving no room for argument. Loki shrugged, heading over to her motorcycle, but Scott grabbed her arm again. "I mean, _with_ me." Loki raised her eyebrows at him.

"Seriously? I don't need a babysitter."

"I don't care." He handed her an extra helmet. "Let's go."

* * *

"So, um, where _is_ it that we're going?" Loki yelled over the wind as Scott broke practically every traffic law there was in his haste.

"The same bank vault you guys locked Boyd and Cora in," Scott shouted back. He turned a sharp corner, and Loki tightened her grip on Scott's waist to keep her balance. He glanced back at her. "You okay?"

"Fine." Loki was scanning the roads the best she could through the thick helmet and at the speed they were going at. "Scott, turn here!" He turned without question, and she explained her unexpected command. "If you take another left at the next intersection, and then rejoin the original route you get there much faster." Scott followed her instructions without hesitation, but a small part of him wondered if she was trying to get him lost on purpose to slow things down. This hypothesis turned out to be false, because as soon as he turned left he recognized where he was. Slamming on the breaks and turning to slow down, he parked as hastily as possible before jumping off.

"Scott – keys!" He didn't turn off. Loki shrugged, grabbing the keys from the ignition and following him as quickly as possible. She reached the vault just in time to see Scott get thrown back by a line of mountain ash. Loki ran to help him, pulling him to his feet. He looked down, swearing when he saw the line of mountain ash.

"Scott – " Loki began, but before she could finish Scott was moving forward. He pressed his hands to the barrier, grimacing as he strained to break it. As Loki watched in shock, Scott's eyes glowed yellow and then red. The unmistakable color of an Alpha's eyes bled over the golden color of a Beta's.

* * *

Deaton was propped up against the gate of the bank vault. He had regained consciousness, but he was still breathing heavily. Scott had been unable to break the barrier of mountain ash, but the sheriff had arrived just in time. The officer explained that he had known where to look because he recognized a symbol on one the vials in the animal clinic. Loki had only listened to the discussion half-heartedly, mostly because she knew this was the last time Scott would ever fully trust her again. Not that his attention as on her.

"Let's get you an ambulance," Sheriff Stilinski said, clapping Deaton on the shoulder. Loki stood as well.

"I'll give you two a minute," she said. She was pretending to leave for Scott's benefit, but really it was selfishness that led her out of the room. She knew that Deaton had seen Scott's eyes glow red, she knew that he would tell Scott what he really was, and she knew that Scott was smart enough to know why she'd been keeping tabs on him. And she couldn't bear the thought of seeing his face when he figured it out.

Once outside, she sat down on the seat of his dirt bike. She pulled out her phone, texting Aiden her location and asking him to come pick her up. She'd get her bike from the animal clinic later. As she was sitting, the sheriff came over to talk to her.

"So, are you Scott's new girlfriend?" Loki looked up at him, and shrugged, smiling a half-grin, half-grimace.

"Something like that." The sheriff grinned like that pleased him.

"I've known Scott a long time," he said nostalgically. "He's a good kid." Loki nodded, forcing a smile onto her face. Thankfully, at that moment the paramedics arrived on the scene. Some of them rushed into the bank vault immediately, but others stopped to talk to the sheriff, pulling him away from the awkward conversation they had been having. One bent down by Loki and began to question her on what was wrong, but she waved him off.

"I'm not hurt," she said, her eyes focused on Scott. He was walking towards her, eyes stormy with anger. She could hear his heart beating. Standing up in anticipation for his question, she walked towards him. Before he could start his accusations, Loki grabbed his shirt and pulled him towards her. She kissed him once, quickly, just before her memories of the two of them would likely be forever tainted. As soon as the broke apart, Scott started talking.

"You knew." It wasn't a question. Loki pressed her lips together, and nodded once. Scott closed his eyes. "So – I was right, then? When we were leaving the motel? None of this was real to you, was it?" His voice rose, and he took a deep breath, clearly trying to maintain his composure. "Don't lie to me."

"I'm not going to lie to you," she said. "I'm not going to say anything at all." She glanced over her shoulder, and saw Aiden. He was leaning forward over the handlebars of his motorcycle, and it was obvious that he was listening to their conversation. Loki turned around, heading over to him and ignoring Scott when he called her name out, softly. She walked over to the blonde Alpha, and slid on to the seat behind him.

"You okay?" He asked. Loki knew him well enough to know that he was asking not just about the fight with her sort-of boyfriend, but about everything that had happened. She nodded, putting her arms around his waist as he revved the engine.

"Fine." She lied, not looking back. "But you and I are going to have a talk about privacy later."

* * *

 **Please leave a review and tell me what you think!**


	4. The Girl Who Knew Too MuchThe Overlooked

**Sorry for the gap in posting. School is crazy lol.**

 **To NinjaFang1331: Thank you!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf, only Loki.**

* * *

"I think I can get to Ethan," Scott whispered, leaning across the aisle to talk to his best friend. Stiles looked up from the pen he was idly flicking between his fingers. His brow was furrowed. Scott continued. "I'm pretty sure I can make him talk."

"What do you want to do that for?" Scott shrugged.

"The Druids are emissaries, right? So, what if the Darach was an emissary to the Alphas?" Stiles scoffed.

"Okay, first of all I cannot believe that we've gotten to the point where the sentence 'what if the Darach was an emissary to the Alphas?' makes sense to me, and second of all, we're going to have a huge problem getting to Ethan." Stiles paused for a moment, rethinking, and then continued. "Actually, make that one huge problem and one smaller problem."

"What are those?" Scott asked. Stiles raised his eyebrows at his friend.

"Getting through Aiden and Loki. Ever since Aiden's been back at school, the twins are always together, and Loki is always with them. How are we going to separate all three?" Scott leaned back in his chair, considering.

"If – if we can just get Aiden away, I think Loki will talk too." Stiles shook his head, waving his hands.

"Okay, temporarily ignoring the fact that you want to talk to your ex-girlfriend you did nothing but lie to you for the duration of your short and dysfunctional relationships, how are we supposed to get Aiden away from them?" Scott shrugged, and then froze. He looked at Stiles, tilting his head to the side. When their eyes met, it was clear that Stiles knew what Scott was thinking. Both boys whipped around in their seats to look at Lydia. The strawberry blonde paused in her doodling, looking up. She sighed when she saw their expectant gazes.

"What now?"

* * *

Loki was leaning against the lockers, watching Ethan as he put his books away. Her hazel eyes were half-lidded with exhaustion and boredom, and the blonde Alpha looked at her in concern.

"Are you okay? You've been weirdly quiet for like the last week now." Loki shrugged, dragging a hand across her eyes. Nearly every time she closed her eyes to sleep since the motel, her dreams had been filled with the same images she'd seen that night. The twins - and lately, Scott as well - lying at her feet, her claws covered with their blood. When she looked in the mirror, her eyes were always glowing azure blue.

"I'm fine. Just tired." Ethan raised his eyebrows, looking unconvinced. However, Aiden arrived just in time to save Loki from an unwanted assessment of her mental health by Ethan.

"Ethan, this whole thing with Danny needs to stop," Aiden said, jumping right into his lecture without even a greeting. Loki snorted slightly, leaning her head back against the metal doors. Ethan dropped his gaze immediately, looking back at his locker with forced nonchalance.

"He's harmless," Ethan maintained. "And Lydia and Scott are the ones we're supposed to be worried about." Aiden rolled his eyes, scowling at his brother. Ethan had just fed directly into Aiden's argument.

"Then _why_ are you still talking to Danny?" Ethan shrugged, clearly not getting his brother's point. But Loki understood what Aiden was getting at, and it had been concerning her too.

"What difference does it make?" Aiden groaned, pressing his fingers to his temples, and Loki butted in.

"Ethan, he has a point." The girl said softly. "I mean, what do you think we're doing here?" She shook her head. "We're not actual high school students." Aiden nodded.

"We're here to eliminate a threat." Loki grimaced inwardly at the thought of Scott being referred to as a threat that had to be eliminated, and then scolded herself for caring. "Not to hold hands and pass notes in class."

"And now we know he's harmless." Ethan glared at his brother and his friend, stubbornly not backing down. "Threat. Eliminated." Loki noticed the defensiveness in his tone, and suddenly she grinned. When she looked over at Aiden, she saw that he was smiling too.

"Aw, does little Ethan have a crush?" Loki teased. Ethan scowled, looking mildly embarrassed.

"So what?"

"So, if Deucalion asks you," Aiden said, preparing to pull out the big guns. "Would you kill him?"

"If Deucalion asked you, would you kill me?" Ethan shot back, unwilling to answer the question. Aiden shook his head slightly, not in an answer to the question but in a show of disgust.

"Stop. Talking. To Danny. Otherwise I'm going to rip the flesh off his face," Aiden leaned around his brother, whispering in his ear. "And eat it." Aiden slammed the locker door shut.

* * *

"Where the hell is Aiden?" Ethan asked, sounding pissed off. Loki looked up from her book and made a face.

"He's around, somewhere, having a frantic make out session with Lydia," Loki replied, returning to the text in her hands. Ethan's eyebrows crinkled together.

"That's odd." Loki shrugged, not really caring. She was only half-paying attention to Ethan's rambling until an all-too familiar voice broke in, making her freeze and drawing her full notice.

"I want to talk to you two." It was Scott, and of course Stiles was hovering behind him. Loki took a deep breath, looking at her old flame. His eyes were focused on Ethan, but they betrayed him ever-so-slightly, just barely flicking in her direction. "Come on." Loki glanced to Ethan, who shrugged, following the Beta werewolf and the human to an empty stairwell.

"Why are you even talking to us?" Ethan asked, before Scott could start speaking. "I helped kill your friend, how do you know I'm not going to kill another?" Loki's eyes flicked to Stiles when the other Alpha said this, and so did his.

"Are they looking at me?" Stiles asked, glancing at Scott. The pale teen scowled at the two werewolves across from him. "Are you threatening me?" He straightened up. "You know what I'm gonna do? I'm going to break off an extra large branch of mountain ash, wrap in wolfsbane, roll it in mistletoe and shove it up your freaking – " Scott grabbed his friend, pulling him back and patting him on the chest.

"Whoa, whoa. Stiles, we get it, okay?" Loki covered her mouth with her hand to hide her smile, but her green-flecked eyes betrayed her amusement so transparently that she might not have bothered. Whenever Scott looked at her, a deep ache resided in his chest, one that, after Allison, he recognized – heartbreak. He'd been with Loki for such a short period of time, but whenever he was around her, she set his nerves on shook his head, refocusing on Ethan, who was easier to look at.

"We're talking to you because I know that you didn't want to kill Boyd. And I think that if something like that happened now, you wouldn't do it again." Scott looked at Loki again. She was no longer smiling. "And I know that you wouldn't either." Ethan's muscles tensed, and Loki knew that Scott was infringing on a sore subject for the twins. Ignoring Scott's statement, she placed a hand on Ethan's back, curling her arm around his waist. Scott winced when he saw Loki's protective gesture, his stomach curling at the sight of her with someone else. Logically, it was obvious that Ethan and Loki were just friends, but it still made Scott's stomach hurt. He shook his head, refocusing on Ethan as the blonde Alpha spoke.

"You don't know what we owe them," Ethan responded. "Especially Deucalion. My brother and I weren't like Kali and Ennis when we met him. We weren't Alphas."

"What were you?" Ethan looked nervous as he responded.

"Omegas." He crossed his arms over his chest. "In actual wolf packs, omegas are the scapegoats. The last to eat, the ones who have to take the abuse from the rest of the pack."

"So you and your brother were, like, the bitches of the pack," Stiles said, putting Ethan's words into layman terms. Ethan's jaw twitched slightly, but he nodded.

"Something like that."

"What happened?" Scott pressed. Ethan shuddered slightly, his breath coming faster. Loki squeezed his arm, hard. She knew that though both were loathe to admit it, the twins still suffered from residual trauma from their previous pack.

"They were killers," Ethan said, shaking his head. "I mean, people talk about us as monsters. Well, they were the ones who gave us the reputation. And our Alpha was the worst of them."

"Why didn't you guys just fight back?" Stiles asked. "Form Voltron wolf, you know? Kick their asses?" Ethan growled, lashing out.

"We couldn't," he snapped. "We didn't know how to control it back then." Scott's eyes had slipped back to Loki, who had remained silent through out the whole conversation.

"Deucalion taught you," the dark haired teen realized.

"And then we fought," Ethan said, sounding surprisingly aggressive. "We took down the whole pack, one-by-one. And by the time we got to our Alpha, he was begging for his life." Ethan took a deep, shaky breath, calming down slightly. "And we tore him apart. Literally."

"And your emissary?" Scott asked. Ethan glanced up at the Beta, and shook his head slightly. Scott's eyes widened. "They're _all_ dead? Kali and Ennis' too?"

"All of them except for Deucalion," Loki said, breaking her silence.

"You mean Morrell?" Stiles said. Before Loki could affirm Stiles' statement, Ethan gasped in pain, pressing his hand to his chest.

"What? What is it?" Loki said, looking at her friend in concern. He grimaced in clear discomfort, rubbing his sternum.

"Aiden."

* * *

"Aiden!" Loki yelled her friends name as she and the boys burst into the locker room. Cora was on the ground, Lydia bent next to her. The other Alpha was holding up a forty-five pound weight, fangs bared. Scott and Loki each grabbed one of his arms and Ethan shoved his brother back.

"Aiden, stop! You can't do this!" Aiden growled.

"She came at him," he snarled, still glaring at the prone girl. Loki shoved him a little, making him look at her.

"It doesn't matter. Kali gave Derek until the next full moon. You can't touch him or her!" Aiden looked at the ground. His face was slack, and he suddenly looked very tired, ashamed of his actions. Loki glanced at Ethan and he nodded. Wrapping his arm around his brother's shoulders, the Ethan led his twin away. As Loki was about to follow, Scott called out to her.

"Loki? Can we talk alone?"

* * *

Scott sat next to Loki on a bench outside the school building. She had her arms wrapped around her knees, and her eyes were far away as she started to talk.

"I was a week away from my seventh birthday when I was bitten," she said. "The Alpha who bit me was young, a college student. I – I'm pretty sure he was a born werewolf, and a born Alpha. He had no idea how to use his power, and he went around biting people for power as a human, not power as a werewolf. The reason he bit me was because my family was very wealthy, and he thought that he could get some money if I was in his pack.

"My parents came from a family of druids and hunters. Both were aware of the supernatural world, but they wanted nothing to do with it. They refused the Alpha's request to let me join his pack, so he asked me directly. I said no." Loki paused, taking a deep breath as the ache in her chest and the memory of what happened next returned. Scott's hand twitched, like he wanted to wrap his arm around her shoulders, but he refrained from doing so. Loki was glad. Talking to Scott was hard enough without him making her feel worse about her tricking him into having feelings for her.

"I – I came home from a friends house one day. His mom had dropped me off. When I knocked on the door, no one answered, and so she got out of the car to see what was wrong. When she came outside, she was crying." Loki squeezed her eyes shut. "She wouldn't let me inside, but I snuck out later that night to see. I knew who it was.

"The night of my first full moon, I went to the Alpha's house. Other members of the pack were there, and none of them were expecting an attack. I somehow managed to keep my mind just enough to remember what I wanted. And I killed them all." She shook her head. "And when Deucalion started his Alpha pack, he found me. By that time, I was fifteen." It was clear from Loki's voice and the look in her eyes that she was haunted by that night. Scott began to talk, trying to comfort her but she waved her hand at him, cutting his solace short. "Scott, that was the worst night of my life, bar none. I lost my family, and I became a murderer." Loki was quiet for a minute. "Most of them were innocent. One was only twelve years old."

"You were only seven," Scott said. He'd give up restraint, and was stroking her back gently. Loki snorted slightly. _As if that makes it right._

"Yeah, sure." Loki looked at Scott. "I haven't killed anyone since. I just…" She shook her head again. "Deucalion tolerates it, because I'm powerful enough to be an asset just as a fighter, but he doesn't like it." She looked at Scott, frowning. "Why do you believe me?"

"Because I figured it out," Scott said. Seeing the crease of confusion in her eyebrows, he continued. "How to tell if you're lying or not. You're really not as good as you think." Loki scoffed, looking at the ground.

"I'm impressed, Scott. How'd you figure it out?" Scott leaned forward, brushing a hand across her cheek. His voice was low as he responded.

"You're different than most people. You don't have a tell when you lie, not a physical one at least. Your heartbeat doesn't waver." He paused tantalizingly before continuing. "But you're not you when you lie." Loki raised an eyebrow, and he smirked at her. "You're an actress. A very convincing one, but you're still playing a character who isn't you." Loki shook her head, laughing, but Scott pressed on. "I'm serious. You're really not as good as you think."

"Scott, you don't _know_ who I am," Loki said. His lips quirked in the corner.

"Well, I'd say I have an idea. But, in your words…I guess we'll have to keep seeing each other for me to find out."

* * *

Loki followed Aiden into the recital room. He paused by the doorway, holding his arm out. She stopped, as well, glancing at him. When he turned to face her, he looked dead serious.

"Loki, stay near me or Ethan, okay?" The girl rolled her eyes, but she was trying not to smile. Ethan and Aiden tended to play the part of irritatingly protective brothers, and as sweet as it was, it could get annoying.

"One, last I checked, I don't have any sort of degree that would qualify me to be a teacher. Two, I can take care of myself." Loki glanced across the room and frowned slightly. "Ethan, on the other hand…" Aiden followed her gaze and groaned. Ethan was standing near Danny, talking to him. After the blonde watched his boyfriend head up the stairs to the rest of the orchestra, he turned around, meeting the gaze of two disapproving stares. He walked over to the others slowly, and as Aiden began to berate his brother, Loki turned to where Scott was talking to Lydia. A twinge of jealousy hit her when she saw Scott gripping the girl's hand, and she scowled.

"Loki?" She jumped, looking back at the twins. Aiden's eyes flicked from her face to Scott and Lydia, and his eyes narrowed. Ethan saw their faces, and he smirked.

"What, jealous?" He teased. Loki and Aiden glared at him.

"No," they said at the same time, defensively. Ethan grinned childishly, and Loki punched him in the chest as she passed him.

"Come on, let's go find our seats." As the three Alpha werewolves sat down, the lights dimmed slightly before coming back on, a signal that the music was about to start. The song was somber sounding, with a lot of strings and sustained notes. It was beautiful, but slightly ominous, and it was setting Loki on edge. Aiden reached into his jacket pocket, and he frowned. He shifted in his seat, patting his pants pockets and searching around.

"Aiden, what's up?" Loki hissed, glancing at her fidgeting friend.

"Nothing," he muttered, sounding irritated. "I just think I lost my phone." Loki sighed, shaking her head and refocusing her attention on the concert. As the song progressed, the music became faster and more frantic, and the chorus's vocalization became less like a murmur, and more like a chant. But it wasn't just the music. The entire chorus and orchestra's faces were blank yet portentous-looking, as though they were being possessed. People began murmuring, confused by the sudden change in tone. The song seemed out of place for a memorial recital. Loki glanced down at the twins, nervous.

"Boys?" She asked. Before either answered her, a piercing shriek rang through her ears, and Loki clapped her hands to the side of her head. No one else around her besides the twins seemed affected. Even as Loki pressed her fingers into her ears, the scream radiated through her brain as though the source of the noise was right next to her. Just as quickly as it started, the noise dropped off, and Loki lowered her hands, wincing. Shaking her head, Loki leapt to her feet. "Pardon me," she muttered, stumbling over people's feet in her haste.

"Loki!" Ethan shouted after her. Loki broke into a run, sprinting out of the double doors and into the hallway.

"Scott?" she yelled, pausing briefly before quickly picking up pace again. "Scott!" She ran out of the building and saw Scott and Stiles there. Scott looked towards her.

"Lydia's missing," he called, running in the opposite direction. Loki broke into a sprint, following him.

"Scott – Scott! Loki!" Stiles shouted after the two werewolves as they ran into another entrance of the building, reaching a deserted hallway. Scott skidded to a halt, looking around, and Loki paused next to him. The dark-skinned girl put her hand on his lower back, and was once again surprised by Scott's reaction. He pulled her closer towards him, as though he thought he needed to protect her instead of the other way around. Loki blinked, inexplicably touched by the gesture. She trained her ears, and was able to make out the faint sounds of sobbing coming from a classroom.

"Over here!" Loki moved forward, not waiting for a response. She burst into the classroom, Scott following close behind. She saw the Sheriff on the ground, gripping his shoulder, and she could smell the blood from his wound. Lydia was slumped in a chair, her head bleeding and the garrote hanging loosely around her throat. It was the third person in the room that surprised her. Ms. Blake was there, an ugly sneer on her face as she regarded the two wolves coolly. Scott roared, shifting completely, but Loki just flicked out her claws, growling at the teacher.

He charged at her, but Ms. Blake easily dodged his swing, and shoved him back. Scott went flying across the room, crashing into a stack of desks and falling limply to the ground. He coughed, blood dripping from his lips as he lay still. Loki looked from Scott to the other woman and she snarled.

Rolling her neck back, Loki allowed her fangs to drop out and her eyes to glow red. She swung at the Darach, managing to catch her across the chest. The woman gasped in pain as Loki's claws sunk into her skin, but the wounds healed almost as quickly as they'd been inflicted. Loki paused briefly, shocked by the power this woman had. She snarled at her again, baring her fangs. Before she could make another attack, Ms. Blake grabbed both of her arms, twisting hard and forcing them down. Loki growled, struggling against the dark Druid fruitlessly.

"I could kill you," Ms. Blake murmured, more to herself than to Loki. "But I have a greater purpose tonight." She flicked her hand out, hitting Loki across the face. As light and delicate as the hit seemed, it was hard enough to cause Loki to fall to the ground. She hit the floor, dizzy, and turned up just in time to see a booted foot flying towards her face.

* * *

"Loki?" Aiden called, walking through the dark halls.

"Aiden!" The voice responding to his call wasn't his friend's, but it was familiar. Aiden ran around the corner, and saw Scott. The Beta was kneeled next to Loki, who was sprawled on the ground eyes closed. Aiden cursed under his breath, running over to his friend and gently rolling her onto her back.

"Loki?" He asked again, more gently this time. She groaned, eyelids flickering. Relief poured through Aiden, and he helped her sit up. "You okay?"

"Ugh," she muttered, grimacing. "Yeah. Fine." She stood up and stumbled, almost falling again. Aiden grabbed her.

"Careful," Scott said. "I think you have a concussion." Loki cringed as she gently fingered the dark bruise on her temple.

"Yeah, no kidding." She shook her head. "I'll be fine soon. How's Lydia?" Aiden's heartbeat spiked again, and he looked around. He could now see Stiles tending to Lydia, who was slumped in a chair.

"She'll be – "

"Aiden. Loki." Ethan, who had somehow brought himself to willingly pry away from Danny's side, interrupted Scott. "We have to go." Aiden glanced at Lydia once more, but set his jaw and nodded. Ethan looked at Loki carefully. "Can you walk?" She nodded, mouth tightened with pain as she straightened up and took a step.

"Let's go."

* * *

Loki strained her ears for signs of Jennifer Blake or Derek and the rest of his pack. Kali and the twins had lost her, and now it was Loki's turn. She walked around the halls quietly, casting her hearing and sense of smell as far as it would go. She could make out sounds of fighting elsewhere, but chose not concern herself with it.

"Well?" Deucalion asked, drawing her attention back to him. Loki opened her eyes.

"She's in the elevator." Deucalion smiled slowly, flicking his cane back and forth.

"Good girl."

* * *

The Alpha female pried the doors to the elevator shaft open and looked down. Fifteen or so feet below her was the stopped elevator car. The dark skinned teenager stepped off the landing, wind whistling in her ears as she dropped on top of the car. It creaked slightly under her weight, and she heard the two heartbeats in the elevator pick up. Loki pried open the emergency hatch, dropping into the enclosed space. She smirked at the two occupants, flicking her claws out.

"Fancy seeing you here," she drawled cockily, tilting her head to the side. Derek glared at her. "Derek, I hate to be cliche, but we can do this the easy way or the hard way. Give me your little girlfriend and I'll leave without laying a finger on you." Derek didn't respond verbally, but he stepped in front of Jennifer, and his eyes flashed red, a clear sign of aggression. Loki sighed, raising a hand. Before either of them could make a move, the lights in the elevator flicked on. Derek looked up, and Loki lowered her fist, narrowing her eyes.

"Derek," the soft, sweet voice of Ms. Blake came from behind the two werewolves. "Look at me, please." Loki glanced up, and gasped when she caught sight of the mutilated face in the elevator doors. The creature moved suddenly, smashing Derek's head into the metal doors, and the dark haired man crumpled to the ground. The remaining Alpha snarled, whirling around on the dark Druid. And for the second time that night, the Darach got the better of her. The woman had resumed her usual guise of a young woman, and she shoved Loki to the ground.

"Oh, Loki," Ms. Blake said patronizingly. Loki gritted her teeth, straining to break loose. Ms. Blake chuckled, kicking her back hard. The curly haired girl fell to the ground, gasping in pain. Before she could get up, the other woman pressed a boot to her chest, hard. "Loki was the god who made the dart of mistletoe, you know," the older woman continued conversationally. "He was punished for it." The Darach began to push down onto Loki's chest, and Loki let out a coughing wheeze, wincing as her ribs cracked under the weight. The green-eyed girl put a hand on either side of Ms. Blake's ankle, trying to shove it back up. "The other gods changed one of his sons into a wolf, and the wolf killed and ate his brother, Loki's other son. The guilty god was then bound to a rock with his son's entrails, a serpent curling over him to drip venom down on him for all eternity." Loki grunted, still struggling to shove the woman's foot off. Her vision was going dark around the edges, and she was losing strength quickly. "In time, his face would become as scared and mutilated as mine is now.

"I think you know all this," Ms. Blake continued in a whisper. "You know the stigma behind the name Loki, the negative connotations. It's not your given name. So why use it?" She lifted her foot up slightly, and Loki drew in air as fast as she could, but it made her ribs hurt so bad that she blacked out. Jennifer applied more pressure again as she continued speaking. "I think you're like me. I told Derek that the alias Jennifer Blake, so close to my real name – Julia Baccari, helps me maintain a sense of self. Loki isn't so similar to Elizabeth, but it does reflect one thing. The one thing that you can't hide from any more than I can, anymore than Derek can. The true color of your eyes." Jennifer smiled cruelly. "You're a killer."

* * *

 **yeah...so...sorry. this chapter was really tough for me for some reason, and if i'm being honest i'm not one hundred percent happy with it, but it's the best i can do. :/ anyways, please, please leave a review for me! i love to see the favs and follows, but i'd really appreciate some feedback. thanks!**


	5. Alpha PactLunar Ellipse

**To PrimeMegaloden, LioPyro7890, and NinjaFang1331: Thank you all so much!**

 **Disclaimer:** **I don't own Teen Wolf**

* * *

When Loki awoke, she was no longer on the elevator floor. Groaning in pain, she sat up, trying to make sense of her surroundings. Opening her eyes and blinking to dispel the blurriness, Loki was able to make out Ethan's smirking face hovering above her. She was lying on the couch in the penthouse.

"Morning, sunshine," he teased her. She scowled at him, swinging her legs off the side of the sofa.

"Yeah, yeah." Loki got to her feet, stumbling slightly as her vision tunneled. Ethan put his hand on her back, steadying her. "Ugh," Loki groaned, swiping a hand across her face and taking a deep breath. She winced as her inhale tugged painfully at her still-healing ribcage. "I'm really starting to hate that woman," she griped, gently massaging her side.

"Tell me about it," Aiden muttered from behind his brother.

"Loki." Kali entered the room. She eyed the younger female with something akin to concern in her eyes. "How are you?"

"Angry," Loki replied, eyes narrowing. "What's our move?" Kali smiled devilishly.

"Glad you asked."

* * *

Loki ran through the woods, her paws hitting the ground silently. She'd shifted completely in order to track Morrell better. She paused for a moment, and howled as she caught the scent of the emissary. Picking up pace again, she loped after the woman. Despite the fact that Loki was by far faster than the older woman, Morrell's head start and adrenaline rush kept her just out of reach of Loki.

The werewolf could hear the twins behind her, their footsteps echoing through the silent forest. As Loki pursued Morrell, the woman broke into a clearing. Loki snarled, baying in delight as the Druid came to a standstill. Failing to notice the mountain ash barrier until it was too late, Loki leapt at the woman. She hit the barrier hard and fell to the ground with a whimper of pain. The harsh impact against the ground sent a twinge of pain through her sore ribcage. The injuries inflicted by Jennifer seemed to last slightly longer than most others. Shaking herself out, Loki got to her paws, snarling.

The twins and Kali broke through the trees, surrounding Morrell's in a tight circle around the barrier as Deucalion and Scott came from the woods on the opposite side.

"How did you know, Marin," Deucalion called conversationally. "That we'd come for you?" Morrell's chest was rising and falling rapidly as she responded.

"Because Jennifer and I are the same," she said. "And I know you've always been suspicious of us. Of what we can do."

"With good reason," Kali snapped back, pacing in front of Aiden. "We know you sent that girl. The one who helped Isaac." Loki's lip curled over her fangs as she remembered the salty iron scent of blood, and the stench of panic and fear from the girl.

"What was her name?" Deucalion asked, sounding slightly bored. Scott was tensed beside Deucalion, clearly wary of them attacking his guidance counselor.

"Braeden," Morrell spat out. "And I sent her to do what I've always done. Maintain balance." Loki growled, growing impatient. She could have shifted back to human form to interrogate Morrell herself, but she knew better than to interrupt Deucalion and Kali. Luckily, Kali took the hint.

"What do you know about Jennifer?"

"Nothing more than you know," came Morrell's quick answer. Then, turning to the only Beta werewolf, she began to speak to him. "This isn't you, Scott. Go back to your friends."

"He can decide what's right for himself," Deucalion chided. Loki glanced at Scott. She knew that he could never really join the Alpha Pack. He was too good.

"Not without all the information," Morrell shot back. "Have you told him everything you've done?" She demanded, glaring at Deucalion. "How you've piled up bodies in a narcissistically psychotic effort to form your 'perfect pack?' Bodies, that include _Ennis,'_ by the way." Loki tilted her head, whining in confusion. Deucalion wouldn't really have killed Ennis, would he have? "My brother saved him," Morrell insisted. "He was alive when Deucalion went in to see him. He wants you to go after Derek, Kali. To force his decision. If Derek joins the pack it paves the way for Scott." Loki kneaded her paws into the ground, confused.

"The lies people will tell when they're begging for their life," Deucalion said dismissively. He didn't sound the least bit concerned, but Loki was still unconvinced. Morrell's heartbeat had been fast, but that was likely from fear. It hadn't sped up as she was speaking, leading Loki to believe that she was telling the truth. But still…

"Ask him," Morrell said, raising her chin. Deucalion's eyes narrowed, and before anyone could ask him anything, he whipped the blade from his cane out, throwing it at Morrell. The sharp point embedded itself in her shoulder, and she cried out in pain, stumbling backwards. Loki reacted quickly, springing at the injured woman. But before she could make a move, violent or otherwise, Scott was there, holding his arm up.

"Hey! Back off," he ordered. Loki did as he asked, and wasn't surprised that the twins did as well. She was, however, shocked when Kali obeyed Scott. The Beta placed one hand on Morrell's uninjured shoulder and the other on the shaft of the cane sticking out from her wounded one. He carefully pulled the blade out, and Morrell shrieked in pain as he did so. But once he tossed it aside, she gasped in relief, breath rattling as sh griped the wound.

"I'm not going to let them kill you," Scott reassured her softly. "But if you know something, if you know where they are – " Morrell cut him off.

"The Nemeton," she wheezed. "If you find that, you'll find Jennifer. Find the Nemeton."

* * *

Loki stood by Kali's car, pulling an oversized sweatshirt over her head.

"Loki." The teenager turned towards Deucalion, slipping a pair of running shorts onto her bare legs. "Follow Scott." Loki turned, frowning. She saw the boy disappearing into the woods and nodded. Taking off into a light jog, she tailed the other werewolf, staying a safe distance away from him so that he wouldn't see her.

As she ran, she heard an odd noise, one that didn't belong in the woods. It was the rumbling of an engine, an old one at that. Scowling in confusion, she slipped slightly from the cover of the trees just in time to see an old Jeep pulling into the clearing that Scott had stopped in. Leaving the lights on, the driver and the passenger climbed out of the car. Loki saw that it was Stiles and Deaton.

"How'd you guys find out?" Scott asked, walking to meet them.

"Lydia," Stiles responded. "You?"

"Morrell," he said. "None of the other Alphas know where it is either." Loki assumed by _'it,'_ he meant the Nemeton.

"So if this works, are you going to tell them?" Stiles asked. Scott let out a trembling breath, shrugging and shaking his head.

"I can't stop Jennifer without them," he pointed out, sounding resigned.

"How about we concentrate on finding your parents first?" Deaton suggested. His eyes moved from Scott to the trees and he raised his voice. "Loki, we'll need you for this, so you might as well come out now." The Alpha's eyebrows flicked up in surprise. Although she hadn't been actively trying to hide, she was still astonished that the Druid had noticed she was there. Stepping into the light of the Jeep's high beams, she raised her hands in a 'Ta-da' fashion.

"Need me for what?"

"I'll explain in greater detail later. Essentially, Scott, Stiles, and Allison will become surrogate sacrifices for their parents." Scott's eyes widened.

"We die for them?"

"But he can bring us back," Stiles said. Then, glancing at Deaton, he added. "You – you can bring us back, right?"

"Remember the part where I said it was dangerous?" Deaton asked rhetorically, sounding grim. "If it goes right, the three of you will be dead for a few seconds. But there's something else you need to think about. This is a dangerous thing for more reasons than one. You'll be giving power back to the Nemeton, a place that hasn't had power for a long time. This kind of power is like a magnet. It attracts the supernatural, the kind of things that a family like the Argents could fill the pages of a Bestiary with. It will draw them here. Like a beacon." Everyone let that sink in for a couple seconds before Stiles spoke.

"That doesn't sound like anything worse than anything we've already seen." Loki scoffed, and all three males looked at her.

"You guys would be surprised at how much you haven't seen," she said. Scott looked at her, eyebrows wrinkled, and she answered his unspoken question. "Let's just say, my pack is far from the worst thing I've encountered."

"Is that it?" Scott asked, sounding very calm.

"No," Deaton answered. "It'll also have an effect on the three of you. You won't be able to see it, but you'll feel it. Every day, for the rest of your lives. It'll be a kind of darkness around your heart. And permanent, like a scar." Scott looked over at Loki as Deaton said this. He had long since guessed that she had her own sort of darkness around her heart. And all it took was a half-second crack in her composure for him to be sure. As Deaton spoke, Loki's careful shell broke down, every so briefly.

That quick fracture had been enough for Scott, however, to sense the full onslaught of her emotional pain. For a fleeting second, Scott could smell her chemo signals. He could almost taste her sadness and her pain, her anger and her self-disgust. But even as she broke down in front of him, her eyes were as calm and steady as always, her facial expression neutral. She'd learned to cope. Scott was sure that he could learn to deal with the darkness too, if it meant saving his mother.

And, he realized. Maybe the pain wouldn't be like a scar. Maybe, even if it was permanent, he would be able to look back at the meaning of it – him saving his mom and his town. Maybe, despite the pain of getting it, it would mean something to him later. Maybe, instead of a scar it would be like –

"Like a tattoo."

* * *

Loki leaned against the wall of the animal clinic, watching as Deaton and Lydia readied the tubs of water. Besides ice, Loki also recognized mistletoe floating in the water, which automatically set her on edge.

"Alright," Deaton said, walking around the tubs to where Stiles, Scott and Allison stood. "What did you bring?" Stiles turned the object in his hands, a rather battered looking star.

"Um, I got my dad's badge," he said, voice husky. "Jennifer kind of crushed it, in her hand, so I tried to hammer it out a bit." He swallowed hard. "Still doesn't look great."

"It doesn't need to look good if it has meaning," Deaton said reassuringly. Stiles nodded, pressing his lips together and closing his fist around the badge. Loki's eyes had been drawn to the object that Allison was fiddling with. She opened her mouth to voice a question, but Isaac beat her too it.

"Is that an actual silver bullet?" Allison hummed affirmatively.

"My dad made it," she said, voice almost a whisper. "It's kind of a ceremonial thing. When one of us finishes learning all the skills to be a hunter, we forge a silver bullet as a testament to the code." She smiled slightly, but it was rueful.

"Scott?" Deaton asked, gently. The werewolf opened his hand, revealing a watch.

"My dad got my mom this watch when she first got hired at the hospital," he said. "She used to say it was the only thing in her marriage that ever worked."

"Okay," Deaton said. "The three of you will get in. I need to be able to conduct this, make sure everything goes right. Lydia, Loki, and Isaac will each hold one of you down until you're essentially…well, dead. But it's not just someone to hold you under. It needs to be someone who can pull you back. Someone that has a strong connection to you, a kind of emotional tether." Lydia started to head over to Allison, but Deaton stopped her. "Lydia. You go with Stiles."

"Are you sure?" Allison asked. "I mean, Scott and I both have to go under." As she spoke, she looked at Isaac, and realization dawned on her. She looked from Isaac to Scott, and then to Loki. Scott looked at Allison and an understanding passed between them. It was okay.

Scott glanced towards Loki. She seemed causal, leaning against the wall with her eyes half-closed, but her entire body was tensed, her posture almost rigid. As Scott walked behind one of the tubs, she followed him. Loki watched as Scott climbed into the water, gasping as it made contact with his skin. As he slowly lowered himself into the tub, his face contorted with discomfort. Deaton allowed for a moment for the three sacrifices to acclimate slightly, and Stiles took that opportunity to talk to Scott.

"By the way, uh, if I don't make it back and you do, there's something you should know." Scott looked at his best friend, and Stiles smiled regretfully. "Your dad's in town." Scott's eyes widened with disbelief, and he exhaled rapidly, eyes glistening. Deaton stood opposite the teenagers and he nodded, once. Loki stepped forward and put a hand on either of Scott's shoulders. He took a minute to place the hand that wasn't gripping the watch to place it on top of Loki's, squeezing it reassuringly. Loki nodded to herself, taking a deep breath as though she was the one who was going under water, and pushed down.

* * *

Loki was curled up against the wall of the animal clinic, knees drawn up to her chest. Her eyes were closed, ears strained for any sound from any of the three tubs. As she listened, she heard the faintest hint of – something. Pressing her eyes shut further to concentrate, she focused hard. A smile spread across her face.

"I hear a – " before she could say the word _heartbeat_ , all three teenagers exploded from underneath the previously calm waters. Lydia, Deaton, and Isaac leapt to their feet and Loki pressed her hands to her face, sighing in relief.

"I saw it, I know where it is!" Scott exclaimed. Stiles nodded rapidly, climbing out of the tub.

"We passed it. There's this – this stump. This huge tree. Well, it's not huge anymore, it was cut down, but it's still big though, very big!"

"It was the night we were looking for the body!" Scott said.

"Yeah, the same night you were bit by Peter," Stiles added. Only Scott and Stiles would go looking for a body in the woods at night _before_ knowing anything about the supernatural, Loki thought with amusement.

"I was there too, in the car with my mother," Allison said, panting. "We almost hit someone." Scott blinked and nodded like that made sense.

"That was me. You almost hit me!" Allison shook her head in mild disbelief, and Scott continued. "We can find it." Scott insisted, looking at the others with wide, hopeful eyes. Loki exchanged a glance with Lydia, pressing her lips together in concern.

"What?" Allison demanded. Isaac shrugged.

"You guys were out a long time," he explained, scratching the back of his neck nervously. Stiles stared at the curly haired boy in shock.

"How long is a long time?" He demanded to know.

"Sixteen hours," Deaton said. Scott stared at his boss, shocked.

"We were in the water for sixteen hours?" Loki nodded, glancing at the darkness outside.

"And the full moon rises in less than four."

* * *

"No, dude, you are not going back with them," Stiles said, nixing Scott's idea of returning to Deucalion immediately. He glanced warily at the Alpha present in the room. "No offense, Loki." She shrugged.

"I made a deal with Deucalion," Scott said.

"Does anyone else think that sounds a lot like a deal with the devil?" Stiles asked. Loki scoffed.

"Not far off," she muttered, but no one paid attention to her.

"Why does it matter, anyway?" Isaac asked. Scott wasn't looking at any of his friends, instead focusing his attention on the ground in front of him.

"Because, I still don't think we can beat Jennifer without their help." Loki picked at a loose thread in her sleeve. She was doing her best to stay quiet, not wanting to either draw attention to herself or influence Scott's decision in either way.

"He trusts you more than anyone," Allison begged, looking at Deaton. "Tell him he's wrong!" Deaton shook his head.

"I'm not so sure that he is," Deaton admitted. "Circumstances like this sometimes require that you align yourself with people you'd normally consider enemies." Isaac snorted, sounding unconvinced.

"So we're going to trust him. The guy that calls himself 'Death, Destroyer of Worlds,' we're gonna trust that guy?"

"Trusting him is a bad idea," Loki broke her silence. They all looked at her, and she glanced the ground. "Deucalion will kill anyone or anything that gets in his way. He'll help you, we all will, but that doesn't mean you should trust him." Loki paused, and then added reluctantly. "Or any of us." Scott reached out to her, taking her hand.

"I trust you," he said. Loki shook her head. Suddenly, she tensed. She could hear footsteps, a heartbeat – a familiar one. One of the twins.

"Ethan," she sighed, breath hissing in relief. Sliding off the table she was sitting on, she walked into the main lobby. Sure enough, her friend was there. She pushed through the door, going to stand next to him. He squeezed her shoulder in a quick sign of affection and concern, but his eyes were guarded as the others came out of the treatment room. When Scott saw the two of them together, he was hit with a sharp pang. He realized that no matter what, Loki would pick Ethan and Aiden over him, every time.

"I'm looking for Lydia," he said. The teenage Banshee appeared, stepping slowly out from behind Deaton.

"What do you want?" She asked.

"I need your help," he said. Loki looked to him, confused. _What is happening?_

"With what?" Stiles called, nosy as always.

"Stopping my brother and Kali," Ethan replied. Loki's shoulders tensed. It was the full moon. She could guess what was happening. Ethan's next words confirmed what she thought. "From killing Derek."

* * *

Lydia, Loki, and Ethan stood opposite Derek, Peter, and Cora. Derek's arms were crossed, and he looked increasingly stubborn as Ethan explained why the three of them were there.

"We know about the lunar eclipse," Ethan said. "So don't think Kali's going to be sitting around, waiting for it to level the playing field. She's coming." Ethan blinked nervously. "And my brother's coming with her." Peter nodded.

"Good enough for me," he said. "Derek?" The werewolf scoffed slightly.

"You want me to run?" he asked.

"No," Peter said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "No, I want you to stay and get slaughtered by an Alpha with a psychotic foot fetish. _Of course_ I want you to run. Sprint. Gallop, leap your way the hell out of this town." Derek still didn't look convinced.

"If you want to fight and die for something," Cora spoke up from the shadows behind her two male relatives. "That's fine with me. But do it for something meaningful."

"How do you know I'm going to lose?" Derek asked, sounding annoyed.

"We don't," Peter agreed. He inclined his head in Lydia's direction. "But I'd bet she has an idea." All the werewolves looked towards the Banshee. "Don't you, Lydia?"

"I don't know anything," she said.

"But you feel something, don't you," he pressed, stepping closer to her.

"What do you feel?" Derek asked. Lydia's face was very pale as she spoke.

"I feel like I'm standing in a graveyard." Derek's face closed up, and he nodded once, inhaling deeply. His arms fell to his sides. Loki's phone buzzed.

 _Scott: Need you, now. Meet us at the Argents._

* * *

Kali kicked the blaring alarm off the wall. "Where is he?" Lydia snapped her fingers, purposely acting clueless.

"I think he said he was…" she turned to Ethan, frowning in mock confusion. "Heading out to do some shopping." She turned back towards Kali, shrugging. "Run a few errands… the usual," she cleared her throat, "werewolf afternoon." Kali growled, baring her teeth at the Banshee.

"Who do you think you're talking to?" she snapped.

"Someone in desperate need of a pedicure?" Lydia responded. "I'd be happy to give you a referral." Kali stepped closer to Lydia, and a growl rumbled in Aiden's chest. Kali turned around to face Aiden. He didn't back away, glaring at her.

"Oh, really?" Kali asked, sounding bored. Aiden growled again, wordlessly warning her to stay away from Lydia. Kali stepped closer to Aiden. "Did someone take their little assignment too seriously?" She asked with false sympathy in her voice. Aiden didn't answer, didn't flinch as Kali encircled him. He kept his eyes forward, on his twin and Lydia. Years of being the underdogs of the Alpha Pack had taught him, Ethan, and Loki to refrain from acting scared, even if they were.

"She is not the problem," Aiden said as calmly as possible. Kali scoffed.

"Maybe the _problem_ is where your loyalties lie," she snapped. "And not just yours." Kali glanced at Ethan pointedly. "And I notice Loki isn't even here. With Scott, I assume?"

* * *

As Loki slid through the unlocked door of the Argents apartment, she heard talking. The voice was masculine, and unfamiliar.

"I'm not going to lie, I'm a little disturbed here. Not only by the number of missing parents, but the fact that it's Stiles' father, your father, and your mother." Loki slid her feet across the floor as quietly as possible. She leaned around the doorframe, looking carefully into the office. She could see Isaac, Allison, and Scott sitting in front of the desk. Three FBI agents were behind it. Isaac raised his hand.

"Mine are both dead," he offered. Loki chose that moment to step in.

"Same here," she said, stepping into the office, and crossing her arms. The FBI agent who had been talking looked up. He looked mildly surprised by her presence.

"You must be Loki," he said. "And I'd appreciate it if both of you saved the clichéd teenager apathy for your high school teachers. All of you know more than you're saying. And I'm fully willing to keep you here all night if I have to." Allison looked over at Scott nervously, but Scott's attention was on the desk. On the three arrowheads sitting directly in front of him – flashbang arrowheads.

"You can't keep us here," Scott said. His voice was eve, but he was clearly struggling to remain calm - every word held tension.

"Not without some kind of warrant," Allison agreed.

"I've got a desk full or probable cause for a warrant," the agent said drily, motioning to the desk full of weapons in front of him. Allison got to her feet.

"My father is a highly respected private security consultant and federally licensed firearms dealer," she told the agent coolly. "That means he has to own a few weapons. Like this one-hundred and seventy-five pound draw tactical crossbow, or this carbon steel marine combat knife, .50 AE Desert Eagle." The huntress pointed out the weapons as she named them. "Hm," she said, picking a canister up. "Smoke grenade with pull ring igniter." She stared the agent down, and without warning, pulled the ring out and tossed the smoke bomb behind the desk. "Go," she ordered her friends, running out of the office. Loki, Isaac and Scott followed her, racing out the door and down the stairs.

Loki followed Scott to his motorbike, and he tossed her a helmet. She climbed on after him, and he peeled out of the parking lot just as the three agents burst out of the building.

Scott and Loki tailed Allison and Isaac in the car all the way to forest's edge, where Scott cut the engine.

"Are you okay?" Allison asked, getting out of the car.

"I didn't know what to say to him," he responded, ignoring the question. Scott was grinning. "I couldn't come up with anything. But what you did – that was awesome!" Isaac came up to the other teenagers, looking at his phone.

"I still haven't gotten anything from Stiles," he said, sounding concerned. "You?" Scott shook his head slightly, looking confused.

"I don't get it," he said. Isaac nodded briskly.

"Alright. Well, we can't wait for him. Come on." Scott hung back, checking his phone. Loki stayed with him.

"Scott?" She asked. He nodded, casting one last glance over the empty road.

"Let's go."

* * *

Scott, Allison, Loki, and Isaac paused at the overhang of a cliff. Loki could hear the familiar _whooshing_ sound of Deucalion's cane over the leaves.

"Cutting it a little close, aren't we, Scott?"

"We got delayed." Scott looked around, frowning. Loki peered behind Deucalion, frowning.

"Where are the others?" She asked. She wondered if Kali and Aiden had gotten to Derek. She'd left before he and Cora had, so she had no way of knowing if they were alive. Deucalion looked at her and shrugged.

"Occupying themselves with other pursuits," he replied, seemingly uninterested. Loki rolled her eyes. _Helpful._ Scott sighed.

"So it's just the three of us," he motioned to Loki, himself, and Deucalion. "Against her?" Deucalion smiled.

"I think you'll be surprised at what a good team we'll make," he said smoothly. Scott swallowed hard. He turned back to his other friends.

"Okay, get Stiles," he told them softly. "And then get to the root cellar, okay?"

"We'll keep Jennifer away long enough for you to get them out of there," Loki assured Isaac and Allison. She let her voice return to its persuasive and charming tone in order to keep the two teenagers calm.

"How are you going to do that?" Isaac asked. Scott looked at him, eyes steady.

"I have a plan."

* * *

Loki followed Deucalion through the woods. Thunder crashed in the sky, and wind whipped dust and leaves up, making visibility poor. More than once, Loki let her eyes flash red in order to make sure they were going in the correct direction. She shouldn't have worried, however, because before long the three werewolves arrived at the distillery. As they reached the doorway, Deucalion stopped, and Loki and Scott turned to him.

"Scott, you said you had a plan," the Alpha prompted. Scott nodded.

"On the first day of class, Jennifer sent all of us a message," Scott replied. "It was the last line from Joseph Conrad's _Heart of Darkness._ I got a message of my own to send her." Apparently, Scott meant literally. He took out his phone and opened the camera app. He recorded a video, giving away their position to Jennifer. Soon enough, she appeared out of the swirling dust and fog outside. But she wasn't alone. Derek was with her. Strangely relieved that Kali and Aiden had failed in their quest, Loki closed her eyes.

"What are you doing?" Scott asked his friend. Derek looked at Jennifer, and then at Scott.

"This might be hard to believe, but I'm actually trying to help you," he responded drily.

"Ooh," Deucalion said, as though his interest had been piqued. "Like brother against brother. How very American this is." He began to fold up his cane. "Are you ready, Jennifer? Hm? Did you…gather your herbs, pray to your ancient gods and your oak trees? Slit a baby's throat, perhaps?" Deucalion stepped forward, voice growing in intensity. Should we show them why you needed to sacrifice nine innocent people just to face me?" As he spoke, his voice deepened into the timbre of a growl, his face becoming more monstrous. "Or is it twelve, now?" Loki caught her breath, residual fear of Deucalion rendering his motionless. For the first time ever, Jennifer looked truly scared.

Derek whipped his head back and forth, shifting. His eyes glowed blue, and he launched himself at Deucalion. The older man easily grabbed both of Derek's hands, forcing them down to his sides. Loki could hear him chuckling. Jennifer walked up slowly, her face once again contorted in a sneer. She whipped her hand out. Loki could feel a sharp wind fly over her as Deucalion acted as a buffer. Jennifer's face dropped with surprise, and Deucalion laughed again. He grabbed each of his enemies by their throats, lifting them up.

Derek was knocked aside, hitting a crate and falling to the ground. He lay there, stunned. Deucalion pulled Jennifer up, holding her by the nape of her neck. He walked over to Scott and Loki, forcing Jennfier on her knees.

"Kill her," he ordered, looking at Scott. Loki stepped in front of him. If Scott killed Jennifer, his potential for being a True Alpha would be destroyed.

"Deucalion," she said, her voice a low growl. He snapped his teeth at her and she snarled back. Growing impatient, Deucalion roared. Scott winced, falling to the ground and shifting. Loki didn't fare much better. Her eyes glowed red and her fangs snapped out as she howled back. Deucalion hit her aside. Loki's back hit a metal beam and she gasped for air, rolling onto her back and groaning.

Distantly, she could hear Deucalion egging Scott on, ordering him to kill Jennifer. But her ears were ringing, and the inside of her chest hurt like hell. She tried in vain to force herself up.

Deucalion snarled.

"Loki, get up." The command was hard to ignore. Loki staggered to her feet, holding her ribcage as she growled at her Alpha. He clicked his tongue. "I am sorry about that, dear," he said, not sounding the least bit sorry. "You know how impatient I get." Loki growled. "Hold her down."

Loki tried to ignore Deucalion, but his willpower was intense. Stumbling over to where Jennifer lay, she flipped the woman onto her back, pinning her there. As Deucalion led Scott over, holding his claws out, she looked at him.

"Scott," she gasped. "Fight it." Scott hissed, straining against Deucalion's strength.

"I forgot to tell you something," he gasped out. "Something that Gerard told me." He reached into his pocket. "'Deucalion…isn't always blind.'" Loki realized what he was about to do a half-second before he did it. She dropped Jennifer's arms, covering her eyes. Even as she closed them, the pain seared through her eyelids, and fireworks went off in her brain. And then, suddenly, she could see. But everything was different.

Looking down at her hands, she saw that her claws were gone. The entire distillery was filled with a golden light.

"The eclipse," Deucalion gasped. "It's started." Loki turned around, still wincing. Jennifer was gone. In her place stood the Darach. Almost before she knew what was happening, the Darach shrieked in her face. She picked Loki up by her shirt collar, and threw her back, into Scott. The two powerless werewolves tumbled to the ground, and the Darach turned on Deucalion. Loki could hear the sounds of bones cracking, could smell blood. Deucalion was dying. More specifically, Jennifer was killing him.

"Jennifer!" Derek shouted. The sounds ceased. "He doesn't know," Derek said.

"Know what?" The Dark Druid snapped back at the werewolf.

"What you really look like," Derek said, sounding breathless. Loki realized what he was doing. He was playing onto Jennifer's victim mentality. She didn't know exactly why, but she was sure he had a reason Loki sat up, kneeling. Derek looked at her, eyes flashing with annoyance. _You have a tongue of silver. Use it._

"Jennifer," Loki rasped. She cleared her throat, and softened her voice. "He knows the cost of bringing Kali into his pack, but he's never seen the price you paid."

"No. No he hasn't." She knelt down, covering Deucalion's eyes with one gloved hand. He whimpered, and then shrieked – in terror or in pain, Loki wasn't sure. But when she took her hand away, Deucalion's eyes were healed. He blinked rapidly. "Turn to me," Jennifer ordered. The powerless Alpha did nothing. "Turn!" She shrieked. Breathing fast, Deucalion turned his head, briefly seeing the full damage of Jennifer's face.

But as the scarred Darach raised her hand to deal the killing blow, her face returned to the pretty brunette of Jennifer Blake, and she fell. Derek caught her.

"What is this?" She rasped.

"Healing him made you weak," Derek responded. "Just like healing Cora did me. You won't have your strength for at least a few minutes."

"Then you do it," she urged him. "Kill him." Loki rose to her feet fully, ready to defend Deucalion from Derek if she needed to. Part of her was unsure as to why she cared.

"No," Derek said. Jennifer stared at him in horror.

"What?"

"Like my mother used to say," Derek said softly. "I'm a predator. But I don't have to be a killer." He wrapped his hand around Jennifer's throat. "Let them go." Loki watched as the two struggled, and she turned her attention to Scott. Without his healing powers, he seemed to be finding it difficult to get up. Since Loki had fallen on top of him, he'd gotten the bulk of the blow. She helped him sit up, and as she did so, the lunar eclipse ended. Loki felt strength pour back into her veins, a feeling that she hadn't felt since she'd killed the Alpha in the basement over ten years ago. Scott got to his feet, running over to Jennifer. She tossed a handful of mountain ash up in the air, and Scott skidded to halt inches in front of it.

"Like I told you, Derek," the woman spat. "It's you or the parents. Well, I guess I'll just have to take them, now. In a few minutes, they'll be dead, and I won't need a lunar eclipse, even to kill a demon wolf." Scott put his hand up on the barrier, staring Jennifer down. She smiled patronizingly. "You've tried this before, Scott. I don't remember you having much success."

Loki watched as he persisted, fighting the barrier. She saw Scott's eyes glow golden, and she saw them bleed red. He placed his foot over the line of mountain ash. Grimacing, he put his other foot beside it, and the barrier broke, a gust of power thrown Jennifer to the ground. She crawled back, looking terrified.

"How did you do that?" She asked.

"I'm an Alpha now," Scott responded. "Whatever you're doing to cause this storm, make it stop. Or I'll kill you myself. I don't care what it does to the color of my eyes."

"It won't change the color of mine," Deucalion growled from behind him. "So allow me." Without waiting for a reply, he stepped forward, slashing her throat in one clean motion. Jennifer gasped, raising a hand to her throat and clutching the wound. Her eyes were wide as she fell to the ground limply.

* * *

Scott was talking on the phone to Stiles. Loki was sitting on a crate, staring at the ground. Derek had filled her in on what he had seen when he was at his loft, just before he'd left with Jennifer. He had told her with surprising gentleness that Kali and the twins had been killed. Her entire pack, her friends…they were all dead. All except Deucalion. Loki looked at him now, anger coiling in her stomach.

"My mother told me you were a man of vision once," Derek told the Alpha. "We're letting you go because we hope that you can be that man again."

"But if you're not," Scott said warningly. "Then having your eyesight back won't matter. Because you'll never see us coming." Derek and Scott turned to leave, but the True Alpha turned back for Loki. "Are you coming?"

The girl looked up finally. Her eyes were shining, and she blinked. She looked at Deucalion, who had given her life a purpose, who had for a short time given her a family – even if it _was_ a mostly dysfunctional family. Then she looked at Scott, who had given her the only unconditional safety she had ever known. Loki stood, and she walked over to Deucalion.

She heard Scott's breath catch behind her, and she spoke.

"I'm won't be going with you either way," Loki told the man in front of her. "But I need to know, for sure. You killed Ennis, didn't you?" Deucalion stared at her for a long, heartbreaking moment. And then he turned to walk away, and over his shoulder he called back to his last standing pack member.

"Feel free to keep the penthouse."

He never answered her question. But, Loki thought dazedly, as Scott walked over to her and took her by the arm, gently leading her away. With Deucalion, innocent till proven guilty had never been the case. His silence was answer enough.

* * *

Scott kept his hand on Loki's shoulder as she stumbled through the woods. She wasn't crying, but somehow the empty, shut down expression was more terrifying than tears would have been. Every time he tried to talk to her, her eyes would flick over to him, and the lost expression in them made _Scott_ want to sob. When they reached the Nemeton, Derek blinked, an odd expression coming over his face.

"It's strange to be back," he said softly. He headed over to the root cellar. Scott was itching to run after him, but first he turned to Loki.

"Wait here, okay?" He told her. She looked at him. "I'll be back. I promise." He squeezed her hand, pressed his lips to her wrist, and he left.

For a short time after dawn had broken, Loki was sure that her life was ending. All of her friends were dead. But as she stood by the giant stump of the Nemeton, her phone buzzed. It was a text from Lydia.

 _The twins are alive._ _Animal clinic._ An emotion so powerful crashed down onto Loki. She couldn't even call it relief – it was too strong.

She took off running, forgetting to tell Scott where she was going. As soon as she reached the animal clinic, Deaton was there, beckoning her in. Loki entered the treatment room. The twins were there, talking quietly. There was no signs of any wounds on their body, although she did notice that they seemed weak, like they were bracing themselves in order to stand. Loki inhaled deeply, calming herself. And then she threw herself at her friends.

* * *

There was a knock on the door to the loft. Derek got up from where he was packing, sliding the door open with a frown. Loki was there. Scowling harder, Derek backed away.

"What do you want?" He asked. Loki glared back at him. Any semblance of friendliness they'd had since they'd last seen each other was gone, and hostility had set back in.

"I think you know what I want," Loki said, voice cold. "Where's her body?" Derek didn't answer verbally, but he inclined his head back ever so slightly. Lying in the middle of the floor was what Loki assumed to be Kali's corpse. It was covered by a white sheet. Catching her breath, the Alpha knelt by the covered body. Loki flipped the sheet back, looking down at her deceased friend. Kali's face was relaxed, but her fangs were still poking out over her mouth. There were pieces of glass sticking out, all over the left side of her body. Blood had soaked into her clothes, and pooled underneath her. Loki took a deep breath to steady herself, and winced as the smell of death washed over her. She slid Kali's eyes closed and covered her back up. Derek watched as the teenager bent over the dead body, and felt sympathetic for a half a second. Then he remembered who the body was.

"She deserved it." Derek's voice was hard, and Loki knew he was thinking of Boyd and Erica.

"Be careful of how you speak of the dead, Derek." Loki sounded tired. "Kali's fault was that she loved too much." In a twisted way, it was true. She'd joined the Alpha Pack for Ennis, hadn't killed Jennifer in the first place because she loved her, and had gone after Derek because she'd believed that he'd killed Ennis. All for love. "Besides," Loki continued. "She and you are not as different as you'd like to think you are." Derek's muscles tensed.

"What do you mean?" The Alpha braced her arms around her dead friend, lifting the woman up. She turned around, looking at Derek.

"Ennis remembered you," Loki's voice softer now, almost sympathetic. Derek's face slackened, and grief crashed down on him, as fresh as it had been when he was fifteen.

"Leave," Derek ordered, turning away from her and heading up the spiral staircase. But his voice had no venom in it, no anger. There was only sadness. As Loki opened the door to the loft with some difficulty, she glanced back. There was a hole in the glass ceiling, and shards of glass and blood covered the floor.

"Sorry about the mess," she said, not really meaning the one in the loft. Her voice echoed around the empty room, and the sliding door slammed shut behind her.

* * *

Loki backed awkwardly out into the parking lot of Derek's building, glancing around briefly. She didn't want anyone to see her carrying a dead body - that would lead to some difficult questions that she didn't want to answer. Fortunately enough, the only people around were the twins. They headed over as soon as they saw her.

"I told you guys to stay put," Loki sighed.

"Too bad," Aiden replied. He reached out to take Kali from her, but Loki shook her head.

"You guys are still healing," she said. "I can take her." Ethan's eyes were dark and sad, and Aiden's shoulders were slumped. "We'll bury her next to Ennis," Loki told her friends, voice heavy with emotion. It was the only thing that Loki knew now was the right thing to do.

* * *

Scott pushed through the double doors of school. He could feel the after effects of dying on his heart. The heavy feeling, the darkness that Deaton had described was there. And whenever he felt it, whenever it felt like it was too much to bear…he looked for his friends.

He spotted Aiden and Lydia by the lockers. The redhead turned her head away from the werewolf, pretending to be irritated, but she was fighting a smile. Ethan and Danny came out of a classroom, holding hands, deep in a conversation. He saw Isaac and Allison heading down the stairs. They were laughing. Stiles came up from behind Scott, throwing an arm over his shoulders and clapping him on the chest. The only person missing was Loki.

Scott looked across the hallway. A teenage girl was standing by the lockers there. She had curly hair and tawny brown skin and her head was cocked to the side slightly. She was very pretty, and frighteningly familiar. When she saw him looking at her, her lips parted and she smiled broadly at him.

Scott smiled back.

* * *

 **cheesy ending is cheesy. soz.**

 **also i sort of touched on this at the end of this chapter, but am i the only one who finds the parallel between kali and derek interesting? i mean it's sort of vague, but they both did something they didn't want to do (kali killed her entire pack, derek got ennis to bite paige), because they were convinced by a dangerous person (deucalion/peter) so that they could be with the person that they loved forever (ennis/paige). then there were two people, each a person that one loved who were dying and in a lot of pain. the only difference is that derek found the strength to kill paige and kali couldn't bring herself to kill jennfier/julia.**

 **idk maybe i'm the only one who sees it, but yeah, i think it's interesting.**

 **see you guys for reason 3b soon :)**

 **As always, please leave a review and lmk what you think !**

 **thanks!**


	6. More Bad Than GoodGalvanized

**NinjaFang1331: Thank you!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf.**

* * *

It had been a few weeks since the defeat of Jennifer and Deucalion's Alpha Pack. For a short time, everything had seemed all right. There had been no new reports of a supernatural beast trying to kill people, or hunters trying to attack Scott and his pack. Things were quiet and peaceful. Even Scott's relationship with Loki was good. And then, very suddenly, things began to unravel. One day a few weeks ago, neither Loki nor the twins showed up at school, and no one had seen them since. Stiles began to have nightmares, Scott and Allison were hallucinating – effects of their sacrifice the night of the lunar eclipse.

And there was Malia Tate. A girl who had been missing for eight years, presumed dead in a car crash. Now they knew she was alive, a werecoyote who had been living as a fully shifted coyote in the woods since the car crash. Now, her father, driven to harsh impulsiveness by grief and the sudden reopened investigation of his families' deaths, was trying to kill the coyote. And Scott needed to stop him, needed to change Malia back to human.

Scott, Stiles, and Isaac met with Deaton in the animal clinic. They told him what they needed, and he went into the back room to retrieve it.

"Xylazine," he said as he walked back into the main treatment room. "It's a tranquilizer for horses. For a werecoyote, it should work within seconds. I only have three," he warned, setting down the glass vials on the table with a _clink_. "So whoever's shooting needs to be a damn good shot."

"Allison's the perfect shot," Scott said confidently.

"She used to be," corrected Isaac.

"She can do it," Scott insisted.

" _If_ we manage to find the thing."

"Okay, what is the point of him?" Stiles asked, pointing at Isaac. He was clearly sick of Isaac's pessimistic attitude. "Seriously, I mean, what is his purpose? Aside from the persistent negativity and the scarf? What's up with the scarf anyway? It's sixty-five degrees out." Isaac smirked, rolling his eyes but otherwise ignoring the irate human.

"Look, maybe I'm asking the question that no one wants to ask here, but how do we turn a coyote back into a girl when she hasn't been a girl for eight years?" They all looked to Scott, who was staring at the table.

"I can do it," he whispered, mostly to himself.

"You can?"

"Yeah, remember the night when Peter trapped as all in the school?" Scott asked, turning to his best friend. "In the gym he was able to force me to turn using just his voice. Deucalion did the same thing in the distillery."

"This is a werecoyote, Scott," Deaton reminded his employee, sounding dubious. "Who knows if it'll even work if you can find someone you can teach you."

"That's why you called Derek first," Stiles said, putting everything together. Scott nodded.

"Yeah," the Alpha sighed. "I – I can try it on my own. But right now I'm too scared to even change into just a werewolf." Stiles rubbed his jaw, looking concerned.

"We need a real Alpha," he murmured. Scott looked at his friend, mildly offended, and Stiles backtracked. He waved his hands in the air, gesticulating wildly as he spoke. "You know what I mean, an Alpha who can do Alpha things. You know, an Alpha who can get it going. You know, get it – "

"Up?" Isaac suggested, sounding somewhat amused at the analogy. Stiles nodded, gesturing to Isaac. Scott groaned, rubbing his temples.

"Great. Now I'm an Alpha with performance issues," he muttered.

"Is there anyone else besides Derek who can help?" Deaton asked, drawing their attention back to the main problem.

"I wouldn't trust Peter," Isaac said. Stiles nodded, tapping his fingers against the table.

"Maybe the twins?" Scott's head shot up.

"They're not Alphas anymore," Deaton reminded the teenagers. "After what Jennifer did, almost killing them? It broke that part of them."

"But Loki is," Scott said. Something had just occurred to him. "We can just ask her. She'll do it. Change Malia back, I mean." Isaac's eyes widened. Somehow, they had all missed the obvious choice after Derek. Loki. There was just one problem with that.

"Scott, you haven't heard from her in weeks." The Beta pointed out. Scott nodded, rubbing his neck.

"I know. But she'll – she'll help me if I ask." Scott sounded like he was trying to convince himself of the fact.

"Or," Stiles said. "We tell the twins, and they tell her." Scott looked mutinously at the ground. _Of course_ Loki would do something if the twins asked it of her. He tried not to be too bitter about that fact, but it was difficult. Especially when he hadn't seen Loki in weeks, and when he knew that wherever she was, she was with the twins.

"Nobody's heard from the twins in weeks either," he said, softly.

"Well, actually that's not totally true," Stiles said. Scott looked up, and realization dawned on him.

Lydia.

* * *

Stiles pulled the door to Derek's loft open, and Lydia led the two teen boys down the stairs. All the lights were out, and the loft seemed empty.

"They said they'd meet us here," she said, sounding a little confused. As soon as the words had left Lydia's mouth, Loki stepped into view, and Scott caught his breath. Her curly hair was drawn up onto her head into a ponytail, but her long, thick hair still spilled out to her shoulders. She was wearing ripped up jeans and a cropped tank top, and two of her long, tapered fingers on her right hand were adorned with silver rings. She smiled at him, and it made Scott's chest hurt so much that he almost forgot everything he'd come there to do.

"Scott," she said, reaching out to him. She pulled him down to her height and pressed her lips to his. To the new Alpha, it was achingly familiar. The kiss was over almost as quickly as it had started, and she pulled back slightly. "Do you trust me?" She asked, her voice soft. Scott frowned, dropping his hands to his side.

"Always," he responded, confused. She smiled ruefully, stepping away from him.

"Good." As soon as she'd uttered the word, she raised one booted foot, kicking Scott square in the chest with great force. He flew backwards and hit the ground, groaning. Stiles pulled Lydia out of the way, looking shocked. The True Alpha pushed himself to his feet, gasping, and Loki hit him across the face, hard. She saw the twins appear and descend from the staircase, stepping in front of Lydia and Stiles.

She'd warned them not to intervene unless she said so, but had wanted them along in case things went south. Loki had noticed that since the twins had lost their Alpha status, they were much more likely to listen to her when she asked them to do something. She tried not to abuse her power too much. Loki bent down, picking Scott up by his collar. "Scott," she said calmly. "Fight. Back."

"I thought you were going to help me," he gasped out. One of his cheeks was red from where Loki had hit him.

"I am," Loki insisted. "Scott, you can't come running to me with every problem you have. You need to learn how to be an Alpha. I'm helping you – teaching you to roar. And you do that by giving in – giving in and letting go. It's how Deucalion taught all of us control." She glanced at the twins.

"Hey, you know what, that's funny," Stiles said. "I actually tried something like this once, using a heart monitor and lacrosse balls. But you're right, beating the living crap out of him is probably a lot better."

"That's actually the plan?" Scott said, sounding surprised. He turned from Stiles towards Loki. "You kick my ass?" Loki laughed.

"Scott, it's more complicated than that," she told him. "Right now, you're afraid to turn. I know what it feels like. There was a period of time when I couldn't fully evolve, so Deucalion had Kali and Ennis do this to me, which, trust me? Hurts a lot more than anything I do to you will." She dropped Scott, and his back slammed into the ground. "I'm going to make you shift."

"And then?" Scott asked, wiping blood away from his mouth. Ethan smirked.

"You turn, and then you kick her ass." Loki smiled, her white teeth flashing.

"And _then_ you roar." Aiden added. Loki growled, eyes flashing red and her fangs dropping out.

"What, you think you can't let go with me?" She teased him, circling around her kind-of boyfriend as he got to his feet. "You think you're going to hurt me?" She shoved him back, and he hit Aiden in the chest. The Beta werewolf steadied Scott, pushing him back towards Loki. "Come on Scottie," she whispered, sliding her hand around his neck. It was a familiar movement to Scott, something she often did right before she kissed him, but it felt strang in this context. She let her claws pierce the delicate skin at the nape of his neck, and her eyes glowed crimson again. "Do your worst." Scott shook his head, and Loki sighed, realizing the problem. "You won't hit me back," she murmured, half to herself. She turned towards the twins, tilting her head towards Scott ever so slightly. They understood.

The blonde Betas rushed forward as if they had been waiting for the command. Aiden grabbed Scott, pulling him into a full nelson headlock, and Ethan began to hit him over the face.

"You're an Alpha," Aiden said from behind Scott as he let the struggling boy twist out from his arms. "You want to roar like one? You got to give in, full throttle. You've got to become the monster, become the Beast. Become everything you're afraid of."

"That's what gives you power. It gives you strength." Ethan told him. Scott shook his head, swinging at Aiden. The other werewolf easily dodged the hit, and slammed his elbow into Scott's back. The Alpha fell to the ground, coughing up blood. Loki tensed, watching as Scott pushed himself up slightly.

"Giving in to it doesn't make you the bad guy, Scott," Aiden told the boy on the ground. He coughed in response, bracing an arm around his abdomen.

"So long as you can control it," Ethan corrected, sounding nervous. He glanced at Loki, and she shook her head. _Keep going._

 _"_ Sometimes control is overrated," Aiden said, kicking Scott in the ribs. The green-eyed girl winced.

"Scott, fight back!" She snarled. The curly haired boy was wincing, leaning back on his hands.

"What if I can't control it?" He gasped out. "What if I can't turn back?" Loki knelt beside Scott, speaking to him gently. He turned towards her.

"Then it takes over," she said. Her green eyes were distant. "You become Malia. You get further and further from being human, you turn into an animal." Her voice held a strange intensity, as though she was speaking from experience. "Or worse. You turn into Peter." This was the push he needed. Scott scrambled to his feet and screamed, rushing at Aiden with his fists up. The other werewolf easily caught Scott, slamming him into the table behind him and hitting the other boy across the face over and over. Loki watched, face set in a grimace, flinching every time her friend's hand made contact with Scott's face. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore.

"Aiden, enough!" She set forward, and Ethan reacted immediately, grabbing his twin and holding his arm back.

"What?" Aiden snapped back. "I thought we were helping him."

"I think we helped too much," Loki said quietly, including herself in the guilty party. Aiden's hand slackened and fell to his side as he realized the damage he'd done. Ethan helped his twin down from the table and Loki leaned over Scott. He looked up at her, and saw that her hazel eyes were sad and remorseful.

Stiles moved over to his best friend, helping him sit up. Scott was clearly dazed, but he managed to look Loki in the eye. Ignoring the blood on his face, she leaned in and kissed him gently. He clutched her close to him as her lips brushed over his cheeks and his crooked jawline. She could feel his heart beating hard against her ribcage, slowing slightly as the threat was over.

"I'm sorry," she murmured to him, brushing a hand through his hair. Scott didn't answer, just closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against her shoulder.

Before she pulled away, she whispered in his ear. "You can't let fear rule your life," she told him. She pressed her hand to his chest, right over his heart, and looked down. "I'll tell you how I learned that lesson once you help Malia." He looked at her and she brushed her fingers against his cheek. "And you _can_ do it."

* * *

Scott entered his room, head down, with a smile on his face. He had done it. Rubbing a hand over his eyes, he flicked the light on. He was only half-surprised to see Loki sitting on his bed. She smiled coyly at him, wiggling her fingers in a wave. Scott laughed, shutting the door behind him.

"Hey." Scott grinned, walking over to her and collapsing on the bed next to her.

"Hey," he said. She pulled him up, kissing him gently. He kissed her back. "I think you owe me a story," he murmured against her skin. He felt her smile, and he ducked his head to kiss her protruding collarbone.

"If you insist." Scott pulled away to let her talk, and she looked back at him. "Scott, the reason I wouldn't help you change Malia back directly wasn't because I thought it was a good time for a lesson. It was because I wasn't sure it was the right thing to do." Scott stared at her, and she held up a hand. "Objectively, you saved her life, I know that. But Scott," Loki hesitated. "I was like Malia once." She pressed her lips together. "For – almost a year after I killed the Alpha who killed my parents, I didn't leave the shift. I lived as a wolf. And I still don't know what it is today, but something made me _want_ to change back." Loki shook her head. "Considering the fact that Malia lived in a coyotes body for eight years, I wasn't sure if she couldn't change back or she didn't want to." Scott stared at Loki.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked.

"Because I didn't want my opinion to cloud your judgment," she told him. Her eyes were hard. "Scott, being Alpha, especially when you've got the heart that you go, you're going to have to learn to make hard decisions." Loki took Scott's hand in hers. "You stopped a man from killing the last living member of his family. That is a _good_ thing to do. The rest of it doesn't matter."

"But you said –"

"I said what _I_ think." Loki looked Scott in the eye. "I weighed my decisions the opposite way. That doesn't make it right. That doesn't make it wrong. But it makes it mine. You need to make your own decisions, Scott." Loki's mouth twisted sadly. "Besides, your heart is in a better place than mine." Scott tilted his head, and the girl dropped her gaze. "I would have let her fate run its own course. You choose to intervene." Scott ignored this, instead placing his hands on Loki's waist. It had only been a few weeks, but being back in her presence after not seeing her was making him incredibly single-minded.

"You should stay tonight," was all he said as he pulled Loki down on top of him.

* * *

Loki climbed off her bike, following the twins over to Scott. He seemed surprised to see them there.

"You're back in school?" he asked, directing his question at Loki. Loki rolled her eyes and said nothing, letting the twins talk.

"No. Just here to talk," Ethan said calmly. Stiles had spotted the confrontation across the parking lot and came running over.

"Oh. That's kind of a change of pace for you guys," said the human, Isaac following closely behind him. "Seeing as usually you're just hurting, maiming, killing." Aiden scoffed derisively, ignoring Stiles and focusing on Scott.

"You need a pack," he said. "We need an Alpha." Scott looked at the small, nearly delicate looking girl standing in between the two hulking twins. As usual, her hair was tied away from her face, accentuating her high cheekbones and drawing attention to the dark freckles splattered across her cheeks and nose.

"Loki's an Alpha," he said. The dark-skinned girl smiled.

"I'm not their Alpha," she said, voice steady. "Scott, you and I need each other. You're a natural born leader who has no idea how to be an Alpha. I've been an Alpha for over a decade, but I have no idea how to be a leader. We can work together." Her green-flecked eyes were wide and hopeful.

"Yeah," Stiles drawled, shaking his head. "Absolutely not. That's hilarious though."

"You come to us for help," Ethan reminded Scott. "We helped." Stiles glared at the three werewolves standing in front of him.

"You beat his face into a bloody pulp! That's not helping. In my opinion, that's actually counter-productive." Loki rolled her eyes.

"Okay, Mr. I-did-this-once-with-lacrosse-balls." Stiles waved a hand in her direction, dismissing her sarcastic remark. His eyes were focused on his best friend, as though Stiles could veer Scott's mind in the correct direction simply by staring at him.

"Why would I say yes?" Scott asked, looking from Loki to the twins.

"We'd add strength. We'd make you more powerful," Aiden listed.

"Scott, there's no reason to say no," Loki said quietly. Stiles scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"I can think of a few," Isaac spoke up. "Like the two of you holding Derek's claws while Kali impaled Boyd." His eyes flicked over to Loki. "Like you lying to Scott so that he'd join your little Alpha pack. How'd that work out for you, huh?" Loki's jaw clenched. "In fact, I don't know why we're not impaling them right now." A growl rumbled in Aiden's throat, and his eyes glowed a deep blue.

"You want to try?" He asked, showing his fangs. Isaac stepped forward, and Scott grabbed his wrist, shooting his Beta a warning glare.

"Boys," Loki warned, still standing behind the twins.

"I'm not doing anything," Ethan snapped back. Loki rolled her eyes and shook her head at her friends childishness.

"Aiden!" The werewolf stepped back reluctantly. Scott turned towards the three in front of him.

"I'm sorry, but they don't trust you," he said, meaning his friends. "And neither do I."

"You trust Loki," Ethan said. Scott nodded once. He raised his eyebrows at the girl, silently offering her to come with him. He could tell she knew what he was thinking, but she didn't move a muscle.

"But I know you three are a package deal," Scott reminded the twins. As Scott and his friends pushed past her, Loki called out quietly. The three turned back.

"Just remember," she said, voice low. Her eyes were focused on Isaac as she spoke. "We lost people too."

* * *

"What now?" Ethan asked. Loki sat on the nearest bike, crossing her legs elegantly. She shrugged. She knew that even if she was an Alpha, the twins and her needed Scott. And he might not know it in the moment, but he would need them. Aiden's eyes were focused on the brick sign of the high school, which was currently covered with toilet paper, and he smiled. Loki had known him long enough to guess what his mischievous look meant, and her eyes widened with horror, and she sat up.

"No," she and Ethan said at the exact same time. Aiden shrugged.

"We never finished," he pointed out.

"And we don't have to," Ethan said.

"What if I want to?" Loki and Ethan exchanged a look, and then stared at Aiden in abject horror.

"You want to go back to high school," Loki repeated. "I think dying had more of an effect on your brain than I thought. You are clearly not thinking logically." Loki's eyes narrowed as though something had occurred to her. "Is this about Lydia?"

"This is about getting Scott to change his mind," Aiden responded. "We're not just Betas. We're not strong enough by ourselves. It doesn't matter that Loki's an Alpha, all three of us are Omegas. The bitches, remember? And when everyone we've screwed over finds out we don't have a pack anymore, what do you think is going to happen? We're dead on our own." Ethan shook his head.

"Dead's still better than being back in high school," he muttered. "I'm not doing it, no way." He turned back to his motorcycle, ready to leave. Aiden's eyes trailed from his twin to something behind Ethan's shoulder. He smiled. Ethan glared at him. "What?" Loki saw what Aiden was looking at and chuckled. Ethan turned around, and his face dropped. Danny was sitting on a bench, talking to another guy – flirting with him. Ethan sighed, and turned back around. "I'm not taking math." Aiden shrugged, just glad to have won the argument.

"I'll take it for you." The twins turned towards Loki, and she shrugged, rolling her eyes.

"Whatever."

* * *

Scott and Stiles entered the school building, and a toilet paper roll hit Stiles in the face almost immediately.

"Whoa – hey, that's my face, okay?" He shouted at the person who'd thrown it. Then, turning to Scott. "Okay, dude? Good decision. Good Alpha decision." Stiles steered the two of them in the direction of his locker. Scott nodded, sighing deeply.

"I hope so," he said, remembering Loki's words from a few nights before.

"No, you know so," Stiles said, heading to his locker. Scott spotted Kira across the hallway. She was struggling to put her stuff away, dropping it everywhere. A smile spread across his face – it was kind of endearing. Then his smile faded when he pictured Loki.

"What are you looking at?" Stiles asked his friend, following Scott's gaze.

"Me? Nothing," Scott said, feeling guilty. It wasn't really like he and Loki were exclusive, or even dating, but he still felt bad. As though he was betraying her somehow.

"You looking at her?" Stiles asked, ignoring the 'nothing.' "You like her? Kira?"

"No," Scott sounded defensive. "I mean, she's okay. She's new." Scott said this as though it was some sort of claim that would end all further arguments Stiles might have. It didn't.

"So, ask her out," Stiles said. Scott exhaled in irritation.

"It's not that simple." Stiles rolled his eyes, slamming his locker shut and turning to his friend.

"Scott, come on. How much longer do you really think this thing with Loki is going to last? I mean, she was lying to you for basically your entire relationship. You saw what she did in the parking lot just now! She picked the twins, the _murderous_ twins, over you. I mean, really." Scott scowled, looking at the ground and ignoring his friend's speech. Stiles knew that he'd hit a sore spot for Scott. Before he could continue his rant, someone grabbed Scott's elbow. The Alpha turned, and to his surprise, Loki was standing there. She flashed him her dazzling smile.

"Can we talk?"

* * *

"So, you three _are_ back in school," Scott said. He'd had first free that day, and it gave him and Loki time to talk. The girl was leaning against the teachers desk of an empty classroom, and Scott was standing across from her.

"Effective immediately, yes," she said drily. "Aiden's idea." Scott raised his eyebrows. He hadn't expected that.

"Loki, why do you three need me?" He asked. "I mean, you are an Alpha." Loki's eyes darkened. She looked around before answering him.

"Scott, everyone in the Alpha Pack has – had – a reputation. Mine was…a little different that the others." Scott frowned.

"What do you mean?" Loki shook her head.

"Word on the supernatural block is that I'm essentially a joke. A weak psychopath." Scott's eyes widened and Loki nodded, snorting. "Bet you don't hear those two words together that often, huh? But I mean, what kind of seven year old kills twenty-plus mostly innocent people, and then cane never stomach the thought of killing again, right?" Looking at the ceiling, she continued. "Ethan and Aiden lost the ability to merge. That also has them lose most of their street cred. Even if one of our enemies has to go through me to get to them, the three of us don't stand a chance." Scott realized what she was saying.

"You don't kill," he said. Loki nodded.

"And the twins probably can't, not anymore. But _so many_ of our enemies do, or will." Loki leaned in closer to him, eyes intense. "Scott," she took his hand. "I know what the twins have done, what all three of us have done. And I'm sorry. But Scott, I'm begging you." Her eyes were wide and beseeching. "We're dead without you. Please." Scott stared at her, heart hammering in her chest. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.

"Loki," he breathed out. "Whatever I feel for you personally has no reflection on my answer. The other night, you told me that I'd have to learn to make hard decisions. I guess this is the first." Scott backed away, guilt welling up inside of him. "Whatever I feel for you, I feel it very deeply," he said honestly. It wasn't quite an _I-love-you ,_ but it was the most intimate thing he'd ever said to her, and his words made Loki's breath caught in her chest. "I would always welcome you in my pack. It's the twins I'm not sure about." Scott stared at Loki, silently willing her to say yes. When she lifted her head, her jaw was set in a tight line.

"I understand," she said. "But I can't abandon them." _Not after everything else that has happened to them._ Scott nodded. He'd known this would be her answer, he'd known that Loki would never abandon the twins, at least not for Scott. The thought made the True Alpha's heart ache.

For all Loki's charisma and smooth talking, she had a hard time putting her real emotions into words. She could lie and manipulate him without breaking a sweat, but trying to have a conversation with Scott about how she actually felt? _That_ was hard.

But, actions sometimes speak louder than words. Loki stood, walking over to Scott. She slid a hand over his neck, pulling him closer to her, and pressed her lips to his. His hands moved to her waist.

He knew what she was trying to say. He understood.

* * *

Loki followed Scott as he maneuvered through the crowded hallways, looking for his friends. He slowed to a halt outside of a history classroom, tilting his head as though he was listening to something. Loki frowned, straining her ears to catch the conversation that Scott was interested in.

 _"…a beautiful girl. Someone will show an interest. How could they not?"_ Loki didn't recognize the voice that was talking, nor did she the one that spoke next.

 _"The only thing that's shown an interest in me is a rabid coyote."_

 _"Well, maybe you should date the coyote."_

 _"I don't want to date. And I definitely don't need a boyfriend. I just want a few friends."_ Loki looked towards Scott, preparing to ask who the two people talking were and why Scott cared enough to listen. The question died on his lips when she saw his face. He looked almost…disappointed. At the girl's words? Discomfort bloomed in Loki's chest.

An unfamiliar emotion rose in Loki. The look on Scott's face, so open and honest, made her uncomfortable.

"Who's talking? The girl?" Loki's words were sharper than intended, and Scott stared at her as though he'd just remembered she was there. His eyes wide with guilt, which didn't reassure Loki. Before he could answer, Stiles skidded to halt in front of Scott.

"Hey, dude! Where have you been?" Lydia ran up to the three teens.

"The police are leaving," she said breathlessly, a definitive note of panic in her voice. "Why are they leaving?"

"The police?" Scott asked, sounding shocked. He looked from Lydia to Stiles, but neither of them bothered to explain. Loki listened with mild-concern, as she forced herself to compartmentalize the way she'd felt when she'd seen Scott's face.

"They must have cleared the buildings and grounds, which means he's not here," Stiles muttered.

"What's going on? What are you guys – " Lydia cut Scott off.

"He has to be here!" She insisted. "That sound? The buzzing I've been hearing?" She gulped. "It's getting louder." Stiles sighed, and Scott continued to look confused.

"How loud?" The human teen asked. Lydia didn't answer, but it was clear on her face. She was hyperventilating every so slightly, and her expression displayed clear discomfort.

Very loud.

* * *

"Scott, this is insane," Stiles told his friend, glancing over at Loki as he attempted to keep from being heard by the werewolf. She was on the phone, filling whichever twin was on the other line in on what was happening.

"Stiles, it'll be fine," Scott said confidently. "Loki is an amazing tracker, better than me. And it can't hurt to have the twins on our side for this, as long as they're here." Stiles shook his head disapprovingly.

"What happened to the whole 'my friend don't trust you, I don't either,' thing you had going on this morning?" Scott shrugged, turning back to Loki. The girl seemed to be finishing her conversation.

"I trust her," Scott said. "And she trusts them." Scott turned back towards his old friend. "That may not be enough for me to let them into the pack, but it's enough for now."

* * *

Scott held the bag of clothes that his mother had given to him in his hands. He, along with the twins, Isaac, and Loki were huddled together in a corner of the school.

"Lydia thinks he's still here even though the cops searched the whole school," Scott told the Betas and the other Alpha. But they didn't have one thing." He opened the bag and pulled out a bundle of fabric. "Our sense of smell." He offered it to Loki, and she took the bundle from his hand and held it up to her nose. Her nostrils flared as she internalized the smell, and then she passed it to Isaac who was standing next to her. Scott looked at Loki.

"I'll go with the twins," she said to him. "You and Isaac start on the east side and we'll work out way back to the center. Meet in the boiler room." Scott nodded, and the five werewolves split up. Loki led the twins towards the east side of the basement. As the three werewolves worked their way down, Aiden began to grumble about Isaac.

"You do realize he wants us dead, right, Lo?" Aiden ranted. Loki hummed.

"Can you blame him?" Aiden scoffed.

"That's not really the point." Loki rolled her eyes.

"Well, either way, shut up. Barrow's human. He'll make noise as well as giving off a scent." Aiden sniffed rather indignantly, but obeyed Loki's request. She slid around a corner, her feet moving noiselessly over the ground. Loki's sensitive ears pricked, and she halted.

"You got something?" Aiden whispered. Ethan was tensed next to her. He heard it to. Loki held up her hand to signal them to stay back, but Ethan ignored her, rounding the corner quickly.

Instead of seeing the man they were looking for, however, they found Danny. He was with another boy, and they were kissing. The sudden presence of three other people made him stop, and both boys looked up. When he saw Ethan, the human's eyes widened and he stepped away from the guy he was with, looking at his ex-boyfriend sheepishly. Aiden started laughing, raising a fist to muffle his snickers, and Loki bit her lip hard to contain her amusement. Ethan, on the other hand, seemed to be quite the opposite of amused.

"Oh really?" he said, sounding unimpressed. Danny rubbed the back of his neck. Loki cleared her throat.

"Sorry to interrupt," she said, her lips twitching.

"I'm not," Ethan muttered. Loki snorted, grabbing her friend's shirt and pulling him away. As the twins and Loki moved away from Ethan's ex and further towards their ultimate destination of the boiler room, Ethan was noticeably sulkier. Loki pushed open the swinging doors that led to another room, but before she could enter, the fire alarm rang. She blinked in surprise, turning towards the twins.

"Come on."

* * *

Loki jogged after her two friends as the three werewolves ran over to rendezvous with Scott, Isaac, Stiles and Lydia.

The group huddled near the picnic tables as the fire alarm continued to blare inside the building. It was loud enough that it still rose slight discomfort in all the werewolves' sensitive ears. Students milled around, chatting amongst themselves, but no one payed the group any attention.

"We didn't find anything," Aiden said.

"Well, unless you count Ethan's ex and his new lover." Immature, yes, but Loki couldn't resist the jibe. Ethan punched her on the shoulder, not lightly. "Ow."

"We didn't either, not even a scent," Scott said, ignoring the exchange between the two.

"It's three o'clock, school's over," Stiles said, visibly confused. "If there _was_ a bomb, wouldn't he have set it off by now?"

"Does that mean everyone's safe?" Ethan asked hopefully. The question was rhetorical, but Lydia took it upon herself to answer.

"I don't know," she murmured, clearly wary. "I just – I don't know."

* * *

Loki was sprawled her bed, tossing and turning in a fitful sleep. Her body was covered by a thin sheen of sweat. A piercing scream echoed through her dream, sending needles into her brain, and she shot up, panting. A strangled gasp emitted from her throat as she fought to catch her breath.

Ethan opened the door to her room, his brother hovering just behind his shoulder. Their foreheads were creased in identical concern.

"You okay?" Loki swiped a hand across her face and nodded.

"Fine," she rasped, sitting up in bed.

"We were hoping that you'd finally get some sleep," Aiden muttered from behind his twin. Loki rolled her eyes. The twins worried too much, which was endearing, but also at times, like right now, quite irritating.

"I'm fine," she said, flopped back down. "Go away." Ignoring her, the twins did the exact opposite of what she wanted, and sat at the foot of her bed. Loki groaned, pulling her pillow over her head.

"Oh my god. You guys. I'm fine. This has been happening for years, we don't need to have a dramatic, Hollywood-style heart-to-heart about our problems." One of them - she was pretty sure it was Aiden - snorted, but neither twin spoke. Loki was quiet for a few minutes, but the question she'd been dying to ask for weeks sat in her chest, choking her. Finally, it burst out. "Do you guys miss them?" She didn't need to clarify that she was talking about their former pack mates.

Aiden reached out, tugging the pillow out of her grasp. She followed his hands, sitting up and smoothing back her hair as unruly curls fell over her eyes. Aiden's eyes were dark and sad. It was Ethan who spoke, but Loki knew he was talking for both of them.

"All the time."

* * *

 **k so sorry for the end it's kinda irrelevant, but like, i really love the idea of the alpha pack actually being friends. it's kinda dumb, but idk.**

 **this chapter's kinda a filler before the real action**

 **anyways, please leave a review and tell me what you think!**


	7. IlluminatedSilverfinger

**To NinjaFang1331: Thank you!**

 **To Phoenix Crest: Yes, I completely agree! Also, thank you so much!**

 **To Sileveth: Thank you! I'm glad you like it. As for Scott and Loki and Kira...I guess we'll so :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf, just Loki.**

* * *

Loki was standing with the twins, not listening to them as they were arguing about something or another. Her attention was focused on Scott, who was sitting at the top of a staircase with another girl. Biting her lip, Loki watched the two teenagers talk. The way Scott was looking at the girl, so concerned and interested, made Loki swallow hard. She'd never seen the person he was talking to before, but Scott's expression told Loki that it was the same girl that he'd been listening to in the classroom the day before. The same stuffy, uncomfortable feeling rose in her chest again.

"Loki!" She turned her head. Aiden was staring at her, eyebrows raised expectantly. "Damn, where are you? I've been calling your name for like the past five minutes." Loki shook her head, turning back to where Scott and the girl were whispering.

"Sorry."

"Why are you frowning?" Ethan asked, slamming his locker shut. Loki hadn't realized that her eyebrows were pressed into scowl, and she forced her face to relax.

"I don't know. Scott's with some girl." The statement came out with more hurt than she'd intended it too. The twins exchanged an incredulous glance.

"Holy crap, are you _jealous_?" Aiden asked, a smirk flickering over his face. Loki scowled at him.

"I don't know," she said again. "I guess so." It was an odd feeling for Loki. Although the twins were apt to get possessive over their boyfriends or girlfriends quite quickly, Loki's mentality about the boys she liked was much more relaxed. She was so used to them practically eating out of her hand that she had never been jealous over anyone before. As per usual, Scott was the exception to the rule. Ethan was grinning widely, gloating silently. She glared at her friends. "Shut up." He shook his head, continuing to chuckle under his breath. Loki scoffed. "Whatever. I'm going to class. See you later, assholes."

* * *

Loki watched the party around her somewhat critically. Ethan and Aiden had helped Danny set up a black light party in Derek's loft. She was standing near one of the support beams. Even though she knew that she couldn't get drunk, she had a cup in her hand, mostly just for something to do.

"Hey," a guy came up to her, smirking suggestively. "Want to dance?" Loki smirked back at him. He was cute, but Loki wasn't really in the mood.

"Not really," she said coolly. He grinned, stepping closer to her.

"Aw…come on. Can I try to convince you?" Loki shrugged, then grinned and nodded. The boy wasn't so much harassing her as he was mildly annoying her, and his being there did give her a tiny bit of entertainment, so she let it happen. As he danced around her, Loki cast her eyes over the people again. This time, she saw Scott. He was with the girl from lunch again, and they were holding hands. The same twinge of discomfort rang through Loki's body again, and the second her eyes met Scott's, his gaze dropped. He felt bad. The unfamiliar girl seemed to notice this, and she dropped her hand quickly, looking away. Loki glanced at the ground.

"Hey, you alright?" Loki turned her attention back to the boy she was with. He looked mildly concerned. Loki smiled tightly.

"Fine," she said smoothly. "I'm just a little…not in the mood right now. I shouldn't have come." He nodded, taking the hint and backing away into the crowd.

Loki groaned, leaning against the pole and rubbing her eyes. When she took her hand away, Lydia was standing next to her. Loki lifted a hand in greeting, and Lydia nodded back.

"Finally," Lydia muttered. Loki looked up in surprise, but she realized pretty quickly that Lydia wasn't talking to her. Her eyes were trained on Isaac and Allison, who were dancing closely in the middle of the crowd. Allison was shirtless. Lydia's focus moved to Stiles and an unfamiliar girl, both of whom were dancing in an over the top matter. "Awkwardly." Finally, her eyes fell on Aiden, who was grinding with two girls not too far away. She rolled her eyes. "Predictably." Loki couldn't help but laugh, but she also felt the need to defend her friend.

"Just so you know, Lydia." The Banshee turned towards the Alpha werewolf. "I've never seen Aiden be so… _intense_ about a girl before. In the past, he's never cared about anyone for anything beyond sex outside of our pack." Lydia scoffed derisively .

"You mean the pack that took joy in killing people?" Loki shrugged, spreading her hands.

"They were still our pack," she said simply. Lydia shook her head, changing the subject.

"So are you and Scott...dating?" She didn't sound particularly judgmental, simply curious and confused. Loki groaned again, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

"Well, if you figure it out, let me know, because I have no clue." Lydia laughed, smiling sympathetically at the other girl. Suddenly, her smile faded, and she looked around, her eyes wide with concern and fear.

"Do you hear that?" she whispered. Loki looked up in surprise.

"Hear what?" Lydia didn't answer. She began to back away, from Loki, her head whipping around. The redhead's breath came faster as she began to panic. "Lydia!" The other girl began to call out for Scott as she ran through the crowd. Loki stared after her, shocked, before quickly regaining her senses and running after Lydia. The werewolf followed the Banshee out onto the balcony.

When Loki stepped outside, Lydia had her hands braced against the stone railing, struggling to slow her breathing. The dark-skinned girl placed a hand on Lydia's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" She asked, as gently as possible. A faint crackling sounded from behind them, and the hairs on the back of Loki's neck stood up. Heart pounding, both girls turned around slowly. Something was rising out of the ground, a dark cloaked figure in a mask. Growling, Loki stepped in front of Lydia, flicking her claws out. She stepped forward, but the demonic-looking creature put its up hand, stopping Loki in place without even touching her. Its wrist flicked, and Loki fell to her side. As she watched from the ground, struggling against invisible ropes to get up, another one of the creatures physically stopped Lydia from screaming. It seemed to draw the sound out of her throat and toss it aside.

It placed its hand on Lydia's neck, and its eyes began to glow a strange greenish-yellow. As Loki watched in horror, it pulled away from Lydia and she fell to the ground. The creature turned towards her, its strange eyes locking directly onto hers. It disappeared back into the shadows, and suddenly Loki could move again. She scrambled over to Lydia, wincing as she touched her skin. The Banshee's body was like ice. As Loki pulled Lydia up into a sitting position, the door flew open.

"Oh my –" it was Danny. "Aiden! Over here!" The human bent next to Lydia and Loki, gently touching Lydia's face. "Lydia," he said, trying to get her attention. Aiden ran over, kneeling next to Danny and the two girls.

"What happened to her?" He asked urgently, looking at Loki. She shook her head, her eyes sliding over to Danny as she answered.

"I don't know, she just collapsed." Aiden nodded. He understood that whatever she wanted to tell him was something that Danny couldn't know. "We got to get her inside, get her warm," Loki said. Aiden nodded again, scooping Lydia up in his arms. Danny helped Loki to her feet.

"You okay?" he asked, sounding concerned. She nodded.

"I'm good. Thanks." Danny led the three supernatural creatures inside, scanning the large room.

"Over here!" He called. "There's a heating vent." Aiden set Lydia down in front of the vent, wrapping his arms around her. Some of the paint on Aiden's skin was rubbing onto Lydia's. "I'll try to find a blanket," Danny said as he turned away. Lydia was starting to regain consciousness as she shivered in Aiden's arms.

Lydia was murmuring something under her breath.

"They came out of the dark," she gasped, head lolling around in Aiden's arms. Loki pressed her lips together in concern, and she began to fill Aiden in on what had happened. As she did so, the music cut off suddenly. She looked up to see Derek standing by where the DJ been playing. The folding table was on the ground, like it had been flipped over.

"Get out!" Derek's voice thundered through the loft, and everyone began to leave, rushing out of the loft. Danny ran back over to Aiden, Loki, and Lydia.

"Get her out of here," Aiden told the human.

"Find Scott," she gasped to Loki and Aiden as Danny pulled her away and through the doors. Loki looked around the quickly emptying loft. Scott came down the stairs with the same girl, and Isaac and Allison came from the room in the back. Loki's heartbeat skipped when she saw Ethan in between the two. He was being supported on either side by them, as though he couldn't walk without their assistance. Then Loki noticed the demon-creatures.

All the humans were running past them like they didn't see anything, but several of the cloaked figures were standing in the loft. In one synchronized movement, they all turned to look directly at Aiden. Loki inhaled sharply, fear coursing through her for her friend.

"Guys?" Aiden said, stepping back slightly. "They're all looking at me," he said. The creatures took one step closer to Aiden, all at the same time. "Why are they all looking at me?" They continued their advances, and Scott snarled. He and Derek charged at one of the creatures, but its movements were as fluid as water, and neither of them could land a hit at first. Derek managed to snap one of the demon's necks, but it healed as though nothing had happened. Loki snapped out of her daze, and ran at the one closest to Aiden. It swung at her, but she ducked the hit and used its chest as a springboard to land on her feet once again. Snarling, she lifted her claws.

The creature put its arm up, holding her in place the same way it had before. Loki's arms fell to her sides as she struggled against invisible bounds. As Loki watched, immobile, the hooded figures stepped closer to Aiden, and Isaac reacted. He left Ethan and Allison's side, running up behind the creature and flicking his claws out. The cloaked creature turned around smoothly, pulling a sword out of its chest and performing an elaborate display of swordplay. Isaac stepped back, looking slightly wary.

Two of the creatures came behind Aiden and each of them grabbed one of his arms, anchoring the werewolf in place, even as the teenager struggled. Loki realized how strong they must be in order to hold Aiden in place, and fear pulsed through her. Loki could hear Aiden's heart pounding in his chest and sweat trickled down her spine as she was unable to move. One of the ninja-like creatures stepped up to the Beta, placing a hand behind on his neck just like it had done with Lydia.

As its eyes glowed, neon greenish-yellow light reflected of Aiden's face, and his expression slackened.

And suddenly it was over. Loki fell to the ground, unable to support herself after the sudden loss of invisible force. Scott snarled, anger coursing through him as he saw Loki hurt. All of the monsters turned towards Scott, and he bared his teeth at them, letting his eyes glow red. He heard a gasp from behind him, and the Alpha turned towards Kira. Her eyes were wide, but she didn't look scared. She looked awed. Before either he or the cloaked figures could make a move, bright sunlight swept through the loft, and the creatures disappeared like mist burning off in the hot sun. As they vanished, Scott's priorities changed, and he ran to Loki's side. Ethan was already kneeling by his brother and his friend.

"What were those things?" Scott demanded, helping Loki stand up. She was recovering quickly, but Aiden was still lying in his brother's arms, unmoving.

"Will you guys be able to get home alright?" he asked. Ethan nodded.

"We'll be fine," he reassured the Alpha. Scott looked from Aiden, who couldn't stand on his own, to Ethan who had barely recovered, to Loki who didn't look much better. Scott shook his head, about to protest. Loki pressed her hand over his mouth.

"We're fine." She repeated Ethan's statement. Loki looked from Scott to the girl behind him. It took all her self-control to say what she said next, but she managed it. "I think she needs you more." Scott stepped back. He looked torn between guilt, relief, and hurt. Loki limped back to the twins, taking some of Aiden's weight from Ethan. She murmured quietly to the two of them, and the three werewolves left the loft. Scott watched her go. Every part of him wanted to pull her into a hug and kiss her, to make sure that she got home safe.

But instead he turned to face Kira, and held out his hand.

* * *

Loki revved her engine on the bike as she and the twins flanked Scott. He sped up, trying to get away from them, but they continued to follow him closely. He pulled into his normal parking spot, and the twins and Loki pulled up behind him. Scott took his helmet off, and so did the others. Loki noticed that Aiden's hair was mashed against his head from his helmet, and she fought the urge to lean over and mess it up.

"Are you guys going to do this all day?" Scott asked. He looked torn between amusement and irritation.

"All day," Ethan agreed.

"All night," Aiden added. Scott nodded to himself, biting his lip. Loki grinned at him sympathetically.

"Is this about being in my pack?" He asked. The twins and Loki somehow exchanged a meaningful three way look.

"This is about you being the target of demonic ninjas," Loki corrected as she pulled her hair into it's usual bun.

"You mean the demonic ninjas that pulled swords out of their chests?" Ethan asked lightly.

"And completely kicked our asses?" Aiden finished. Loki nodded, fighting a smile.

"Yeah, those demonic ninjas." Scott smiled slightly. He was quickly realizing that despite all their dangerous actions in the past, Loki and the twins were a lot like him and Stiles.

"I don't need anyone to protect me," he told the three other werewolves. Loki raised her eyebrows.

"Scott, they were looking right at you," she said seriously, her voice changing in tone.

"And they also disappeared," Scott reminded her. "Argent thinks they can only come out at night. Besides," he continued. "They're probably after Loki, too. Argent also said they'd target all the supernatural."

"Since this is our first experience with demonic ninjas, we're thinking we should play it safe," Ethan told Scott. "And Loki being another target is all the more reason for you to let us stick around." Ethan's eyes narrowed. "After all, you wouldn't want her hurt, would you?" It was a challenge, one that of course Scott would agree to. Loki rolled her eyes, lips twitching upward again.

"All day," Aiden repeated. He was no longer smiling. Scott nodded and sighed reluctantly.

"And all night," he muttered. As the four werewolves walked into school, Scott turned to look at the other Alpha. The twins had fallen behind slightly, keeping a respectful distance from the struggling couple.

"Loki, about last night…" he trailed off, unsure of what to say. He groped for words. "Kira and I – "

"Is that her name?" Loki asked, sounding slightly too casual. Scott nodded. Loki sighed. "Scott, I'm not mad. I have no reason to be, because technically you and I – aren't dating." The words didn't come out of her mouth easily. Scott nodded, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I know. But still. I just want you to know that – there's nothing between Kira and I." Loki snorted, and Scott looked at her in surprise. The snort wasn't ill tempered, it was more so disbelieving.

"Scott, I _definitely_ don't believe that there's nothing between you and Kira. But it's okay if there is, I guess." She bit her lip. "I'd just rather – _if_ there is something _real_ , I mean – I'd rather this ends before that starts." Loki forced the words out as fast as possible, trying to act like they weren't hard to say. It was also hard for Scott to hear, hearing that Loki would want to break up. He was about to tell her that, but they had reached his locker and the twins had caught up to them. Now wasn't the time.

"I need to talk to Stiles and let him know everything that happened last night," he said, as he opened the door. "Without you."

"No," Aiden said immediately.

"Yes," Scott replied. "And I don't want you listening in, either. No wolf hearing." Loki laughed slightly.

"How would you even know?" Scott smiled smugly.

"I'm a True Alpha," he told her. "You have no idea what I can do." The freckled girl cocked an eyebrow and he grinned at her. She shook her head, but she was smiling.

* * *

Scott walked out of the chemistry classroom and met the twins and Loki in the hallway. He nodded at them to acknowledge their presence, but he seemed distracted. He was walking quickly, and Loki broke into a jog to keep up with him.

"Did you tell him?" Loki asked, falling into step with the other Alpha. Scott shook his head.

"No, he's got enough on his mind right now," Scott mumbled. He seemed concerned.

"If they're coming for you in a few hours than so do you," Aiden pointed out. Scott turned on the three werewolves with surprising force. His eyes were fun of intensity.

"What if it's not me?" he asked. "Okay, what if I'm not the one they want? What if it's not Loki, either?" Ethan frowned.

"Who else is there?" Loki had turned around, and as Ethan asked the question, Kira came into view. Realization dawned on Loki.

"There's her."

* * *

Loki was fiddling with her helmet strap when the twins came up to her and Scott. Scott smiled slightly.

"Guys, I appreciate your wanting to protect me, but I need to be alone for a little bit." Loki smirked inwardly. Like that would work. "Which is why I'm sorry about this." What _this_ wasbecame clear pretty quickly, when none of their bikes except Scott's would start. Loki pulled off her helmet, jumping off her motorcycle and sprinting after Scott. She caught up to him just in time to see Kira jump on his bike as Scott left the parking lot. Loki exhaled in irritation, and the twins caught up to her.

"What's up?" Ethan asked, seeing her face. Loki shook her head, bending down to pick up the spark plugs that Scott had taken out of their bikes. It would take minimal effort to fix them, but the time delay would be enough for Scott to get to wherever he wanted to.

"He went with Kira," she said, walking back over to her motorcycle. The twins exchanged a glance, and then looked at Loki cautiously. She rolled her eyes. "It doesn't matter," she snapped, trying to convince herself that that was true. "Let's just fix this and catch up to them, okay?"

* * *

Scott and Kira sat beside each other on Scott's bed. Kira was showing him a picture book of Japanese myths, in particular those about the Kitsune. She looked out the window.

"The sun's setting," she noted. Scott followed her gaze out the window.

"Yeah, I know," he murmured. He looked at the girl sitting across from him. "Are you scared?" he asked her. She thought for a minute and then shook her head slowly.

"Not right now," she replied truthfully. She looked at her hands. "I'm supposed to be back before dinner," she told him. Scott grinned at her.

"Tell them you can't make it," he persuaded her softly. Kira looked at him, eyebrows creasing.

"What should I say?"

"Say you're…" Scott was going to say 'going on a date' but the memory of Loki's words from that morning and the way they had hurt him stopped him. "With a friend," he suggested. Kira smiled at him playfully.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" she asked. She flipped the page of the book on her lap, turning to a colorful drawing of a fox surrounded by wolves. "I mean, foxes and wolves don't get along." Scott grinned back at her.

"That's just a drawing in a children's book."

* * *

Darkness was falling fast. Loki and the twins were waiting outside Scott's house, anticipating the attack. Loki had insisted that they not go in until they were sure that the ninjas were there, out of respect for Scott and Kira. The twins had protested, but she was pretty sure that was more for the fact that they thought Loki shouldn't be letting Scott and Kira be alone together than it was for the argument of utility of them actually being inside the house.

"They're here," she shouted. The twins were already moving, crashing through the window. Loki followed them through the hole, kicking one of the demons facing Kira out of the way. Ethan and Aiden growled, standing in perfect unison. Despite the fact that the two had lost the ability to merge, they're attacks were often scarily synchronized. Loki picked one of the creatures up, throwing it through the broken window.

"Mom, now, do it now!" Scott yelled to his mother. Loki wasn't sure what he was talking about, but Melissa apparently did. As Derek forced the last demon out of the door, Melissa ran forward, smashing a small glass bottle against the ground, right on the threshold of the door. It exploded, and a dark powder immediately formed a line.

Mountain ash.

* * *

"It's Kira, right?" It was Aiden who was talking. He was smiling at Kira in a fake innocent way. Of course, on him it still looked charming. Which was exactly why Deucalion would always have him and Ethan do the sweet talking. However, Kira still seemed nervous, and she nodded hesitantly. "You going to tell us what you are?" he asked.

"What?" Kira said, sounding scared. "What do you mean?"

"Aiden," Loki cautioned, moving closer to her friend. "Leave her alone."

"I'm not doing anything!" he protested, not taking his eyes of Kira.

"You're scaring her," Loki corrected him. "That's doing something." Aiden rolled his eyes, and he grabbed Kira's wrist.

"Aiden…" Ethan said warningly.

"Watch!" His brother insisted. He pulled Kira forward, forcing her to place her palm against the screen door. Only she couldn't. The mountain ash barrier forced her back, just like it did to all the supernatural. Ethan stepped forward, his interest piqued. "She can't go through it, either," Aiden said unnecessarily, as he dropped Kira's hand. "So, what are you?"

"She's a Kitsune, idiot." The reprimand came from Derek, who had wandered his way back into the room. His eyes were focused on Loki. "You knew that." Loki smirked and shrugged her shoulders.

"How'd you know?" Ethan asked her, sounding surprised.

"Because I paid more attention to Deucalion than you two did," Loki shot back. The twins rolled their eyes, identical expressions of annoyance plastered on their faces. "All you have to do is use your eyes. It's all around her." Derek nodded.

"The younger ones give off an aura. She just hasn't learned to conceal it yet. She probably doesn't know what kind she is either."

"And leave her alone, okay, guys?" Loki warned the twins. "She's probably overwhelmed enough as it is." Aiden scoffed, leaning against the wall. Loki turned towards Kira. "If he bothers you - either of them, but really Aiden -" Aiden gave an indignant yelp, but Loki plowed on. "- let me know, okay? It's my job to keep them in check." Kira nodded, and Loki offered her a small smile. She noticed Kira's shoulders relax.

"Thank you." The other girl's voice was practically a whisper, but the relief was evident. Loki nodded quickly, but she turned away to go find Scott. She was trying not to show it, but her nerves were frayed. As soon as Scott saw her, he could tell. He reached out to her, placing his hands on her waist and pulling her close to him. Loki let her shoulders relax, and she dropped her head against his chest. He pressed his lips to the side of her forehead.

"It's okay," he comforted her, running a hand over her back. Loki shook her head, backing away from Scott.

"I'm not scared," she told him, unknowingly mirroring Kira's words from earlier that night. "But we can't keep hiding forever. You said it yourself, Scott – we're not the target. Whatever they do to us, we'll heal from it." Loki looked over at Kira. "If she's the one that they're looking for, we can continue to protect her. But if you and I got out now, maybe they'll leave for the night." Scott shook his head.

"It's too big of a risk if they don't," he said, keeping his eyes on Kira. Loki turned her head to where Melissa was pressing down on Agent McCall's wound.

"What about for him?" She asked. Scott turned to his parents, and his lips tightened, his resolve thinning. Kira came up to the two werewolves before Scott could make a decision. Her eyes were wide with panic. Loki tilted her head and began to back away. "I'll give you two a minute."

The Alpha walked back over to where the twins and Derek were waiting. Derek was watching the brothers, clear judgement in his eyes.

"I wasn't going to hurt her," Aiden was saying. He was telling Derek, but he glanced at Loki as he spoke. She nodded at him, but Derek was less easily swayed.

"Not yet," Derek said, sounding unconvinced.

"Why do you think we're here, Derek?" Aiden sounded irritated. "For a study group? We're here to protect Scott."

"We're trying to fight for him," Ethan added. Derek turned back around.

"I'm sure you are," he said. He still sounded irritatingly condescending. "I'm sure you'd kill for him. But are you willing to die for him?" The twins exchanged a look, and Loki stepped into the conversation.

"Are they supposed to apologize for having good self-preservation?" Loki asked calmly. Derek turned towards her, a sarcastic smile playing across his lips.

"Oh, is that what they're calling it these days?" Loki's eyes narrowed.

"The twins would die for me, and I for them," she said, without a trace of hesitation or doubt. She knew it was true. "But we barely know Scott. Given time?" Loki spread her hands. "Who knows." Her words were calm and even, but her eyes were as hard as flint. Derek scoffed, shaking his head.

"What about you?" he asked.

"I wouldn't kill for Scott," Loki replied easily. "I wouldn't kill for Deucalion either. But I'd have died for him." Derek hummed, unconvinced. "What, you don't believe me?"

"I knew who you were when you came, Loki," Derek told her patronizingly. "You have quite the reputation."

"Yeah, I've heard," she said, sarcastically. "I'm weak, and I'm psychotic. Thanks for the reminder. I needed that today." Derek smiled, unimpressed.

"Yes, but that's not your real reputation, is it?" Loki showed no sign of discomfort, but her eyes focused on Derek were sharp and alert. "You're a smooth talker, and an easy liar. You'd do fine on your own, and even better with the twins, even with the enemies you've made. The real reason you want to be in Scott's pack isn't for his protection, is it?" Loki scowled at Derek.

"What is it for, then?" Derek grinned at her.

"You like to be liked," he told her quietly. "You like people listening to you talk, you like the sound of your own voice. You think that if you whisper your ideas in Scott's ear, then it will give you another reputation, one more like Scott's." Derek raised his eyebrows. "Is that not why you Deucalion sought you out? " Loki's heartbeat didn't even flicker as she glared at Derek.

"I don't know why Deucalion wanted me, I only know why I joined him." She snapped. "I was lonely and I was afraid. He offered me the first semblance of protection or friends I had had in years. My reasons for wanting to be in Scott's are completely different." Derek smirked, stepping closer to her, and one of the twins growled warningly, and Loki held up a hand.

"Why don't you tell him that?" Derek asked, looking to Scott, who had stepped into the room.

"Tell me what?" Scott asked, warily. Derek looked at Loki, who didn't say a word.

"Fine," Derek sounded unsurprised, and not particularly disappointed. "I'll do it, then." Derek turned towards his Alpha. "Scott, you should know. Deucalion didn't just want Loki in his pack because she became an Alpha at age seven. He didn't just want her because she could track and hunt better than anyone he'd ever seen. He wanted her as an advisor. And she was better to him, in some ways, than Morrell was." Loki lifted her gaze from the ground. Her eyes were dark with something that Scott couldn't read. Regret? Anger? "Loki may never have actually dealt the killing blow, but how many of the bodies that piled up were your fault? How many of the deaths were your idea?" Scott was staring at Loki in shock. She didn't try to defend herself, not exactly.

"Less than you may think, considering," she snapped back. She turned to the only other Alpha werewolf in the room. "Scott, I'll tell you everything later, but now is not the time." As if agreeing with her, one of the demons slashed at the barrier of mountain ash, making the whole house shake.

"What are they doing?" Scott asked.

"Testing for weaknesses," Ethan told him. He was watching the creatures outside the screen door, and his eyes widened. "Guys?" He drew his friends' attention to the fist that was making its way through the barrier. "We have a problem." Scott pulled his phone out of his pocket, dialing a number. He held the phone to his ear.

"Allison, please tell me you have something," Scott said urgently. "They're here, and they're trying to get in. And from the looks of it, they'll be able to." Loki could hear Allison's voice on the other end of the phone.

" _Okay, okay. Listen. They're Japanese demons, they're called the Oni. They're looking for someone possessed, someone with a dark spirit attached to them."_

"A Nogitsune," Scott murmured.

" _How'd you know that? Scott?"_

"I just…" Scott looked at the Oni on the other side of the barrier. They were pressing their swords through the invisible wall. The urgency returned. "Okay, tell me what else."

" _They won't hurt you. They know you're supernatural, but once they do this check, once they realize that you're not carrying a dark spirit, they won't hurt you, I promise. All they're looking for is the Nogitsune."_ Scott bit his lip, murmuring a good bye to Allison and hanging up. He turned to Loki, remembering her suggestion.

"I'm right, aren't I." It was a statement, not a question. Kira's voice was panicked. "They're looking for me." Scott shook his head. He placed a hand on Kira's shoulder and spoke to her calmly.

"They're looking for a dark spirit," he told her. "And I know that's not you."

"Scott, we're going to have to do something!" Derek urged his Alpha. As Loki watched, the barrier snapped, and the Oni stepped through. Scott turned away from Kira, looking at Loki again. The True Alpha thought about Loki's suggestion, that they do nothing, that they let it happen. She tore her gaze away from the demons and nodded once, deliberately.

"Don't do anything," he said, decisively.

"Is he serious?" Aiden asked, sounding annoyed. He turned to his friend. "Loki?" She shook her head.

"Listen to Scott." Three Oni stepped forward, one of them right in front of Loki. She lifted her chin, forcing herself to remain calm. _Nothing is going to happen._ The Oni in front of her thrust out its hand, grabbing her neck. Loki felt the effect immediately.

She felt dizzy as she stared into the glowing eyes of the creature in front of her, like she was floating around inside her body. She stiffened, and an icy chill swept through her. It was colder than anything she'd ever felt, so cold that it burned. At the same time, a strange sense of calm accompanied the uncomfortable feeling. The Oni removed its hand, and Loki's knees slammed into the ground as she slumped forward, her eyes closing.

* * *

Aiden knelt by Loki. She managed to sit up with his assistance, but her skin was still icy to the touch, and her eyes were glazed and empty.

"Come on, let's get up," he coaxed her gently. She nodded, dazedly, stumbling over her own feet as Aiden hauled her to a standing position. Ethan was next to Scott and Kira, checking on the other two teenagers, but when he looked at Loki the concern was evident in his eyes. Scott watched Aiden as he supported Loki, his head bent as he spoke to her quietly. A rush of emotion swept through him, and he realized suddenly that how gentle the twins were with someone they cared about.

The high pitched wail of an ambulance siren sounded from a few blocks down, snapping Scott out of his reverie. He clambered to his feet with the help of Derek, and reached down to help Kira up. Ethan backed away slightly, but he hovered closely in case one of them fell again.

"Is Loki okay?" To Aiden's surprise, it wasn't Scott who had asked the question, it was Kira. She was looking at the other girl with concern, even though she herself seemed to be struggling to stand freely.

"I'm good," Loki muttered, but her shoulders were slumped with exhaustion. Aiden looked at Scott and his brother.

"I'm going to take her home," he said. Scott nodded.

"Good idea."

* * *

Loki knocked lightly on Scott's window. He was sprawled across his bed, but he wasn't asleep. He jumped up when he heard her knocking, sliding the window open and letting her in. She slid her legs over the sill and ducked her head under the glass.

"I couldn't sleep," she whispered, smiling apologetically. He smiled back at her, taking her hand and leading her over to his bed.

"Don't worry about it," he replied. Loki closed her eyes, leaning against Scott and breathing out slowly. It felt good to relax. Scott watched his girlfriend, his eyes soft with affection. But something was bothering him, and he couldn't leave it alone for too long. "Loki…" he whispered. She opened her eyes, looking up at him. He fidgeted, unsure how to ask his question without offending her. She placed her hand on his arm.

"Scott, what is it?"

"Is what Derek said true?" Scott asked Loki quietly. He was playing with the hem of her long-sleeved t-shirt, not looking her in the eye. She hesitated before responding.

"Not exactly. I told you that I came from a family of emissaries. Advising is in my blood. I don't know if you noticed, but I did it to you today. _I_ barely noticed." He nodded, and Loki continued. "Scott, I'm going to make you a promise right here, right now. I won't even lie to you again. If you want me to tell you, I will. And I'll tell you honestly. Just say the word." Scott stared at Loki, her green eyes so wide and sincere and he nodded. She took a deep breath, as though she was ready to start a long story, but Scott leaned in and kissed her. It seemed to be the best way to keep her quiet.

"Not right now," he murmured, keeping the kiss. She hummed agreeably against his lips.

Scott wasn't sure if he ever wanted to know.

* * *

Loki was asleep for once. She was still with Scott, curled up against him. Just as Scott was starting to drift off as well, his phone buzzed next to him. Frowning, the True Alpha looked down at the screen. Who was calling this late? His eyes widened in confusion and concern when he saw the caller ID. He picked up the phone. Despite the fact that Loki had fallen asleep, she hadn't reached a deep sleep. When she felt Scott shift against her, she sat up, the covers pooling around her waist.

"Scott?" She mumbled in confusion. "What's going on?" He squeezed her hand, shushing her as he answered the phone. Loki sighed, leaning her forehead against his shoulder as her eyes slipped shut again.

"Hey, man, what's up?" Static buzzed over the line. "Stiles?"

* * *

 **please tell me what you thought of this chapter! i really struggled with it, can't lie. especially since scott and kira's relationship played a huge part in these two episodes. idk i did my best.**

 **so i'm thinking about doing a side story to this? it would be like one shots, short little aus of this story or little prequel chapters like: when loki met the twins; when loki met deucalion; what if loki had been assigned to date stiles instead blah blah blah stuff like that**

 **idk if i'll actually do it, but please let me know in a review if and if any of u would be interested in reading that.**


	8. Riddled

**To Silveth and Guest: Thank you both so much! As for Scott and Loki's relationship...well, we'll see what happens there. :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf, only Loki.**

* * *

 _Loki was asleep for once. She was still with Scott, curled up against him. Just as Scott was starting to drift off as well, his phone buzzed next to him. Frowning, the True Alpha looked down at the screen. Who was calling this late? His eyes widened in confusion and concern when he saw the caller ID. He picked up the phone. Despite the fact that Loki had fallen asleep, she hadn't reached a deep sleep. When she felt Scott shift against her, she sat up, the covers pooling around her waist._

 _"Scott?" She mumbled in confusion. "What's going on?" He squeezed her hand, shushing her as he answered the phone. Loki sighed, leaning her forehead against his shoulder as her eyes slipped shut again._

 _"Hey, man, what's up?" Static buzzed over the line. "Stiles?"_

* * *

The sound of harried breathing panted on the other end of the phone, making concern well up in Scott. He tightened his grip on the phone, and spoke again, forcing himself to remain calm.

"Stiles, you there?"

"Scott?" His best friend sobbed out. He sounded terrified. Scott swallowed hard, and began to move. He slid his legs over the edge of the bed, sitting up. Loki straightened up as well, eyebrows creasing in concern.

"Hey, I'm here," Scott reassured his best friend over the line. "Are you okay? Can you hear me?" Loki was looking at him in confusion, and he shook his head, motioning for her to wait. Loki pulled her knees up to her chest, hugging herself as Scott listened to Stiles.

"Scott, I don't – I don't know where I am. I don't know how I got here." Stiles took a deep, shuddering breath. "I think I was sleepwalking." Scott nodded to himself, trying to focus his wild thoughts and calm his beating heart.

"Okay, um, can you see anything? Just tell me what you see."

"It's dark, it's hard to see," Stiles gasped out. "I think there's something wrong with my –" The line disconnected, cutting off whatever Stiles was about to say. Scott's own breathing began to pick up, and he redialed the number. Loki reached out to Scott, trying to comfort him, but he stood up, pacing back and forth.

"Scott?" Loki whispered into the dark room. He ignored her, redialing Stiles' number again and again.

"Come on," he muttered frantically to himself. "Come on." The phone in his hands buzzed, and Scott picked up immediately. "Stiles!"

"Scott, I don't think I can get out of here, I can't move."

"Where are you?" Scott's voice was urgent, his fear for his friend evident in every word.

"I don't know – " he said, his voice trembling with pain and fear. "It's too dark to – too dark to see much. But something's wrong with my leg, it's stuck on something, and it's – I think it's bleeding."

"How bad is it?" Scott demanded. There was no response. "Stiles, are you there? Can you hear me?"

"There's some kind of smell down here," Stiles said in response, ignoring Scott's question. "Something smells terrible. It's brutal. My eyes are watering." Stiles coughed as he spoke.

"Okay, listen, I'm going to call your dad," Scott said. He was moving to take the phone away from his ear to call the police when Stiles spoke again.

"No, no, no, no, don't," Stiles protested quickly. He sounded terrified, and he was crying again.

"But your dad –" Scott began. Whatever point he was trying to get across was cut off.

"Just please don't call him. Promise you won't." Stiles begged his friend. "He already worries about me too much, Scott, please." Scott was turning around in a circle. His hand that wasn't holding the phone was threaded through his short hair, tugging at the dark strands in frustration.

"But what if I can't find you?" Scott asked. "I can't make a promise like that." He sounded tortured.

"No, no, no. Just please, don't call him. Come find me, you can do it. He doesn't have to know, Scott, you can find me." Scott's breath was coming out in fast pants.

"I don't know if I can do this," he hissed out. Loki still hadn't moved from the bed, and she was staring at Scott in shock, her green eyes almost luminous in the dark.

"I have to call you back. I have to turn the phone off."

"What? No! Hey, wait, Stiles hold on!" Scott made a sound of disgust, tossing the phone down. He looked at Loki, his eyes round with panic. She moved towards him slowly, with her hand out, like she was afraid that he would react badly if she made any sudden moves.

"Scott," she said lowly, trying to calm him down. "What's happening?" Scott was past the point of condolence, and he whirled around, digging through his drawers as he spoke rapidly.

"Stiles is missing, I need to find him. He's hurt." His voice rose into a yell. "Isaac! Isaac, get up! I need your help." Scott pulled a hoodie out of his drawer and shoved his arms through the sleeves. "Isaac!" The Beta threw the door open, stumbling into Scott's room. His eyes were bleary with sleep.

"Why? What's going on?" His eyes came into focus and narrowed as they fell on Loki, who was wearing nothing but her bra and a pair of shorts. Unabashed, the girl bent down to retrieve her sweatshirt, zipping it up.

"It's Stiles," Scott replied, tossing a helmet at Isaac. "Get dressed."

"What's wrong with Stiles?" Isaac asked, still struggling to catch up. Scott looked up, and shook his head. His eyes

"I don't know."

* * *

Loki rushed down the stairs after Scott, Isaac close behind her. As they reached the first floor, Scott's phone buzzed loudly again. He answered it hastily, dropping his helmet to the ground in the process.

"Stiles!"

" _Did you call him? Did you call my dad?"_ Stiles voice over the phone was quiet and weak, almost unintelligible. Loki realized with a start of serious this was. Stiles was human. He couldn't survive long in the cold, especially if he was injured.

"No. Just Isaac and Loki," Scott reassured his friend. "We're coming to find you. Did you figure out where you are? Try to find something and tell us where to look."

" _It's a basement,"_ Stiles managed to get out. _"I think – I think I'm in some kind of basement."_ Scott shook his head, confusion evident on his face. That didn't make sense.

"In a house?"

" _No. No. It looks bigger, like industrial. I think there's a furnace. But it's cold. It's freezing down here. I gotta…I gotta turn the phone off Scott, it's going to die."_

 _"_ Wait, wait, wait," Scott rushed out. "What else is there? What do you see?"

" _The phone's dying, I gotta go."_ Stiles was adamant." " _Just…please…"_

"Stiles, why are you whispering?" Scott asked, sounding confused. There was a pause on the other end of the phone. And then, voice broken, Stiles forced something out.

" _Because I think there's someone in here with me."_ Scott's hand lowered from his ear as the beep notified him to the terminated call. He was still for a half a second, and then he sprang into action. He slammed out the door, leaving the other two werewolves standing in the front hall in shock. Loki reacted first, snapping out of her surprise and running after Scott. He was already sitting on his dirt bike, buckling the strap underneath his chin.

"Scott! Scott, we need to slow down!" The True Alpha paid Loki no mind. He started his bike, motioning for Isaac to climb on after him. His Beta slid behind Scott, and Loki slammed her hands down on the handlebars, stopping Scott from going anywhere. He looked at her, his eyes darker and angrier than she had ever seen him. Loki forced her voce to sound calm and even. "Scott, listen to me. You can't just go rushing off to look for him. We need a plan."

"We don't have time!"

"And we'll lose more of it if you don't listen to me!" Loki shouted back. Scott stared at her, his mouth hanging open. Loki winced, her mouth twisting in chagrin. She softened her voice again. "Scott, _think_. What are we doing? What are we going to do?" Scott stared at Loki, and as she looked back at him steadily, he felt his heart beat falling, slowing down. He took a deep breath, clearing his mind and focusing.

"We're going to his house," Scott said. To him, his voice sounded almost echo-y, like he was hearing it out of another person's mouth, like he wasn't aware of the words he was saying. "We'll find something there – some clue, or a scent to track." Loki nodded once, removing her hands from the front of his bike and stepping back.

"Good."

* * *

Loki pulled up at Stiles house. There weren't any cars in the drive way, which triggered confusion in Loki. Had Stiles driven his Jeep while he was sleeping? She followed Scott up to the front door. To her surprise, the door was slightly ajar. Scott frowned, but shrugged it off, throwing the door open and rushing up the stairs. To Scott's surprise, when the three werewolves reached Stiles' room, there were already two people in it. Lydia and Aiden.

"How did you know?" Scott was surprised at the presence, but neither of them looked too shocked to see him. "Did he call you too?" Lydia shook her head.

"I heard it," she replied, sounding just as frantic as Scott. Loki raised an eyebrow, opening her mouth. Aiden saw her.

"Don't ask," Aiden told her. "It gets more confusing when you ask." Loki fought back a smile, knowing that, given the circumstance, it was rather inappropriate. Lydia shrugged, turning around and looking at the bed.

"Not as confusing as this." Loki followed her gaze, and registered the scene in shock. Dozens of threads of red yarn and been tied to a pair of scissors, which had been stabbed through the mattress of the bed. The scene was sinister looking. Lydia turned back towards the werewolves.

"He uses red for unsolved cases," she explained.

"Maybe he thinks he's part of an unsolved case," Aiden theorized.

"Or _is_ an unsolved case," Loki offered. Right now, he pretty much was. They didn't have a clue where he could be.

"Hold on," Lydia said, looking towards Scott. "Is he still out there? You don't know where he is?" Scott shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck. He looked stressed.

"He said he's in an industrial basement somewhere," Scott informed Lydia and Aiden of what Stiles had told him over the phone.

"We came here to get a better scent," Isaac added. Lydia nodded, leaning forward. She looked desperate.

"What else did he say?" She pressed.

"Something's wrong with his leg," Scott recalled. "It's bleeding."

"And he's freezing," Isaac said.

"Tonight's the coldest night of the year," Aiden said. "It's going to drop into the twenties." Loki closed her eyes. It wouldn't take long for Stiles to become hypothermic in these conditions.

"What did his dad say?" Lydia sounded somber.

"We kind of…" Scott trailed off, shaking his head. "We kind of didn't tell him yet." Lydia glared at Scott, her lips pursed with disapproval.

"Stiles is bleeding and freezing and you _didn't_ call his _dad?_ " She snapped. Scott looked at the ground.

"He made me promise not to," he said softly. Lydia sighed, and Scott rushed to defend himself. "We can find him by scent. If – if he's sleepwalking, he couldn't have gotten far, right?" Loki made a sound in the back of her throat, and Scott looked at her. She looked worried.

"Scott, his Jeep was gone." Lydia shook her head again. She had pulled out her phone, and she was dialing a number.

"You promised you wouldn't call his dad," she said. "I didn't."

"Lydia, hold on," Scott begged desperately. He grabbed her wrist, pulling the phone from her hand as he spoke. "I can get more help. I can call Derek, Allison."

"Everyone _except_ the cops! Great idea!" Lydia enthused sarcastically.

"Loki can track him!" Scott insisted. He was losing his resolve, but he looked at the girl standing next to him desperately. She stared back at him, her eyes as steady and calm as they always were. "Deucalion said that she was the best tracker he'd ever met, both by human and wolf standards."

"Deucalion was right," Aiden said, glancing at Loki. "But you guys do remember that Lydia only gets these feelings when someone's about to die, right?" Scott's shoulders slumped.

"You don't have to call his dad." He resigned himself. "It's five minutes to the station." He beckoned Loki and Isaac after him, and the three turned to leave. Aiden moved to go after them, but Lydia grabbed his wrist.

"We'll catch up," she said. Aiden looked at her in surprise, but fell back a step.

"Why?" Loki asked. Lydia shook her head. Her eyes were unfocused, staring at something no one else could see.

"There is _something_ here."

"Yeah." Isaac looked around the room, at the walls plastered with notes and evidence, the photos of crime scenes and the scissors stabbed into the mattress. "Evidence of total insanity." Scott shot a warning look at his Beta.

"We can figure out what's wrong with him after we find a way to keep him from freezing to death." Lydia nodded, her eyes coming back in focus.

"Go. We'll be right behind you."

* * *

Loki had never been in a more uncomfortable and emotional situation than Scott telling the Sherriff that his only child was missing and injured. The man's hands were shaking, and he had to physically brace himself against the desk as he fought to maintain control. He took a few deep breaths, blinking his eyes rapidly.

"Come on," he whispered to himself, barely audible. He straightened up, turning towards Scott. "If his Jeep is gone, that's where we start," he said, briskly, returning to professionalism, but with a touch more urgency than normal. He turned towards the deputy that was sitting at the desk in front of him. "Parrish," he addressed him. "Let's get an APB out on a blue 1980 CJ-5 Jeep. Cordova, I want a list of any kind of industrial basement or sub-level of any building that he could have gotten into by sleepwalking. It's the coldest night of the year so far, so if he's out there barefoot and in just a T-shirt, he could already be hypothermic. Let's move fast, let's think fast." He turned back towards the werewolves. "You three come with me."

The Sherriff led the three werewolves into his office and shut the door, turning to face them.

"Okay. Is there anything you need to tell me that I can't tell anyone out there?" He gestured back to the room they'd just left, referring to the deputies that were unaware of the supernatural world.

"Lydia knew he was missing," Scott said. The Sheriff nodded.

"Can she help find him?"

"She's working on it," Isaac reassured the man. He barely nodded, already moving on.

"Anything else?"

"I called Derek and Allison for help," Scott said.

"Can you find him by scent?" Scott motioned to Loki, and the Sherriff looked at her. When Loki saw his expression, something jarred her. His eyes were wide with hope and fear. Loki wondered, with a pang, if when she'd disappeared after her parents' death, if anyone had looked for her this urgently.

"I can try," she said. She kept her voice low and soothing, hoping that it would calm the Sherriff. Her sweet-talking did relax the tension in his shoulders marginally. "But the fact that he's in a building, and the fact that there's so strong a smell, it could make it more difficult. Obviously, the more leads we have, the better. " There was a knock on the door, and the young Deputy, Parrish, opened it from the other side.

"We got it, sir," he said. "We found the Jeep."

* * *

Scott ran up the stairs of the hospital, Isaac following close behind him. He burst through the doors that led to the roof, spotting Derek close to the other end. He was standing by the fences that guarded the high-voltage generators.

"He's not here," the elder werewolf called without turning around. "Not anymore." Scott's heart dropped, and he stopped running.

"The whole building?" The Alpha asked. Derek nodded.

"Gone." He stated simple. Scott exchanged a look with Isaac, who nodded his head.

"I'll go tell Stilinski," the Beta offered, turning around.

"See if you can find Allison. She's not answering her phone," Scott called after him. "And text Loki and tell her too, okay?" Isaac nodded and disappeared back down the stairs. Scott walked up to Derek, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the other man.

"Notice how strong the scent is up here?" He asked. "You ever hear of chemo signals?" Scott shook his head, and Derek continued. "Chemical signals that communicate emotion. And just our sweat can give off anger, fear or disgust."

"Loki can block hers," Scott remembered. Derek's face twitched.

"Loki can do a lot of things," he said disapprovingly. "But she is our best chance of finding Stiles, so long as we can give her something to go off of. Take a deep breath," Derek instructed. "Tell me what you feel." Scott obeyed.

"Stress," he said finally, sounding a little surprised. Derek nodded.

"And anxiety."

"What was he doing up here?" Scott asked. Derek shook his head.

"I don't know. But there was definitely some kind of struggle."

"With who?" Scott was concerned.

"Himself."

* * *

Loki's phone buzzed, and she looked down. It was a text from Isaac. It read, simply, _he's not at the hospital._ She nodded to herself, wrapping her fingers around the phone and closing her eyes, trying to focus.

 _Stiles, Stiles,_ she thought to herself, _where would you go?_

"If you don't mind my asking…" Loki opened her eyes. The young deputy, the handsome one, Parrish, was the one talking to her. She motioned for him to continue. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" Loki barely had to pause to think of a lie. It came that naturally to her.

"My name's Loki. The Sherriff thinks one of Stiles' friends should stay at the station, in case he calls one of us with more information," she said. That wasn't so hard to believe. It was this next part that might be harder to sell. "He thinks that if one of his friends is there, he'll be more comfortable, less disoriented when he's found. So Scott and Isaac will stay with the Sherriff, and I'll stay here. Until I hear otherwise." She flashed a smile at him. Even when her lies weren't totally believable, she'd often found that people were more likely to believe her because she was charming. However, Parrish still looked slightly unconvinced. No wonder, Stiles was the Sherriff's son. He probably knew all the deputies in the station, and would doubtfully be uncomfortable by their presence when he was found. Before he could argue, Loki continued. "Does my presence bother you, Deputy?" It came out slightly more flirtatiously than she had intended, and Parrish glanced down, looking slightly embarrassed.

The scrape of the door against the wooden floor caught her attention, and she turned away from Parrish. It was Scott's father. He had his arm in a sling, but other than that he looked perfectly healthy. The FBI agent looked around, noticing the empty station. He frowned when he saw Loki, and then his eyes fell on Parrish.

"Where is everyone?" He asked. "We get a lead on our sword-wielding maniac?" Loki covered her smile with her hand, but the agent still noticed. He shot her a glare, and she coughed, shrugging innocently.

"Nope," Parrish responded briskly. He seemed quite cool towards the agent, despite the fact that he was probably meant to be respectful to a higher-up. "But we've got posters up all over town." He gestured to the posters that had sketches of the Oni on them next to the desk. Neither picture of the Oni looked realistic, and Parrish turned away with a smirk.

"Not exactly how I described him to the sketch artist," Agent McCall said coldly.

"Well, you're not exactly the highest priority tonight, Agent McCall," Parrish snapped back. The agent's eyes narrowed, and he raised his eyebrows.

"What does that mean? What's the high priority?"

* * *

Aiden pawed through the piles of papers on Stiles bedside table. A photograph was amongst them, face down. He flipped it over and picked it up. It was a picture of Scott and Stiles, probably from a few years ago. Scott's hair was longer and floppier, and Stiles' was shaved short in a buzzcut. The two friends were sitting on a bench in their lacrosse gear, talking. They seemed unaware of the photographer.

Aiden set the photo down, and picked up a framed picture next to it. It was a drawing of a tree that had been sketched on notebook paper. It was also a drawing that he recognized. Aiden turned towards the other person in the room.

"Didn't you draw this?" Aiden asked, holding out the picture for Lydia to see. A smirk was playing across his face.

"Put that back," the Banshee chastised him, no real anger in her voice.

"It's yours, right?" Aiden pressed, refusing to back down. Lydia shrugged, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

"It's one of them. I guess."

"He likes you a lot, doesn't he?" Aiden continued. His voice was mostly guarded of emotion, but there was an undertone of irritation to his words. Jealously. Lydia crossed the room, her arms folded across her chest as she stared up at the werewolf.

"Maybe he likes the drawing a lot," she theorized. Aiden held up the back of the framed picture for her to see. An index card was taped to the backing of it, and there were two words carefully written out in neat cursive. Aiden read them aloud to prove his point,

"'For Lydia.'" He smiled, and despite the situation, Lydia grinned back as she snatched the picture from him. Her phone beeped from and she dug through her bag to retrieve it. She read the text that she'd received.

"'Nothing at the hospital. Derek headed to high school, Isaac's going to find Allison…" Lydia sighed, setting the phone down and turning back to Aiden. "And Scott is with the Sheriff." Aiden rolled his eyes.

"And we're standing in a bedroom staring at walls," he said. Lydia gave him a pointed, somewhat superior look before walking back over to the other side of the room. The former Alpha turned towards the red string, running a finger down it. He pulled the string absent-mindedly, and Lydia immediately swirled around. Aiden looked at her in surprise.

"What did you just do?" She asked. Aiden stepped away from the string. "Did you just touch one of the strings?"

"Maybe," Aiden said, sounding a little defensive. Lydia reached out to the closest string, hand shaking. She ran her fingers over the yarn, and tugged the string. She looked terrified, and her breath caught as the string pinged slightly.

"What did that sound like to you?" She asked, focusing her eyes on Aiden.

"Like a string being pulled." Aiden sounded bored, but his eyes were sharp and focused on Lydia.

"You didn't hear people whispering?"

"I definitely did not hear people whispering," Aiden repeated, eyebrows raised. Lydia's eyebrows creased in concern, and she bent closer to the string, pulling it again. Her face slackened.

"You didn't hear that?" She gasped.

"Lydia, I'm not sure anyone hears what you hear," Aiden reminded her gently.

"They're whispering," Lydia informed him. She swallowed hard, straightening up and looking towards Aiden. "Something about a house." Aiden nodded, stepping closer to Lydia. They were finally getting somewhere.

"What house?" He pressed. She pulled the string again, listening, and slowly turned her head towards the opposite wall. The string she had been pulling and listening to was attached at a photograph of a building with a thumb tack.

"That one," she said, walking towards it. Aiden followed her across the room, reading the words on the sign in the photo. Trepidation filled him as he read the name.

"Eichen House?" Aiden recognized the name, but Lydia mistook his surprise for confusion.

"It's a mental health facility," she told him. "It's where William Barrow, the shrapnel bomber, was committed." Aiden nodded, heart pounding in his chest as he stared at the photo on the wall. Lydia noticed his change in demeanor. "What is it?"

"Nothing," he said, tearing his eyes away from the photograph. "I've heard of the place, that's all. Is that it?" Lydia nodded.

"That's where he is. That's where Stiles is."

* * *

Scott dialed Loki's number, holding his phone to his ear. She picked up almost immediately.

"Scott," she greeted the caller. "Anything?"

"Lydia thinks Stiles is at Eichen House," he told her quickly. "How soon can you get here?" As he talked, Scott was watching the Sheriff speak to the security guard about opening the gate. The guard seemed irritated by the Sheriff's questions, as he maintained that he hadn't seen anyone come into the building that even slightly matched Stiles' description. Distracted that he was, it took Scott a few moments to realize the silence on the other end of the phone. "Loki? You there?"

"I'm here," she whispered. Her voice was shaky sounding.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concern welling inside of him.

"Hey." Someone grabbed his arm. It was Aiden. "Give me the phone." Not waiting for an agreement from the Alpha, Aiden grabbed Scott's phone and began speaking quickly. Somehow his voice managed to be hard and soft at the same time. "Loki, listen to me. Stay where you are. We have this under control." He was silent for a moment, waiting for his friend's response. Clearly he got what he was looking for, because he murmured a quick goodbye before ending the call and tossing the device back to Scott.

Scott looked up at the other werewolf, tilting his head in a silent question. Aiden didn't answer him directly, but instead shook his head and spoke:

"I really wish you hadn't done that."

* * *

The line disconnected, and Loki's hand fell to her side. Her fingers loosened around her phone, and the mobile device clattered against the ground. Agent McCall and Parrish looked up in surprise, to see Loki staring off into space. Tears pricked at her eyes. It took a lot to make her cry, but her memories of Eichen House were some of the most terrifying of her life.

"Are you okay?" Parrish moved from behind his desk, stepping in front of the teenage girl. He placed a hand on her shoulder, gently. "Loki?" She snapped back to the present.

"Fine, sorry," she said, blinking rapidly to dispel the tears in her eyes. Parrish's eyes narrowed, and he was about to talk again when they were interrupted.

"Hey!" The deputy and Loki turned back towards Agent McCall. He was frowning at a sheet of paper in his hands. "Is this the exact transcript of Scott and Stiles' phone call?" Parrish's hand fell from Loki's shoulder as he stepped away, forehead creasing in confusion. Loki bent down to pick up her phone.

"That's what he gave us."

"Yes, but – these exact words? Stiles says 'something smells terrible. My eyes are watering.'" Parrish shrugged, and then nodded. He seemed confused as to why it mattered.

"Loki?" The teenager turned around. Melissa was standing behind her. She was still in her scrubs, with a jacket thrown over them. "Is Agent McCall here?" She nodded, motioning to the man as he walked over, having heard Melissa's question.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"My shift was over," she explained. "I just wanted to see if I could help." He nodded.

"I think I know where Stiles is," the man said. Loki froze. "But I just – I don't know how to get there, I don't remember. But I know the location."

"Where?" Loki asked. He turned towards her. Something about her expression made him answer the question. He held out the transcript to her, and she took it, reading over Scott and Stiles' conversation. She had still been half-asleep at the time, and she barely remembered it.

"He says something about a smell. It's just a hunch, but we used this spray at the – "

"At the coyote's den," Loki finished. Everything had clicked into place when the agent had started talking. "You think he's still asleep, dreaming." The agent nodded, looking surprised. Most people didn't realize how smart Loki was. But Deucalion had.

"But I don't know how to get there."

"I do," Loki said. "I go running in the woods all the time – I've run past it a few times. I can take you there." It was the truth, really. The only part she'd left out was the part where she was usually running as a wolf, not a human. But that was unimportant. Agent McCall looked at her dubiously, but Melissa nodded.

"Listen to her. Let's go."

* * *

"So, what are you two saying?" Melissa asked. The car was driving smoothly and quickly through the empty streets. Late as it was, there was no traffic whatsoever.

"I'm saying that the real question might be, how do we know he's not still asleep?" Agent McCall replied. Loki was in the backseat of the car, watching the darkened town flash by through the window.

"You mean that he's been asleep the whole time?" Melissa sounded unconvinced.

"People who sleep walk can do crazy things," Loki piped up from the backseat. Melissa looked at her through the rearview mirror as the teenager continued. "I've heard of people who cook entire meals asleep, who are found mowing their lawn – naked and asleep." Melissa laughed slightly.

"What's any of it matter?" The woman's ex-husband tried a different approach to convince her.

"Remember that townhouse we lived in?" He asked her. "I came home one night, drunk –"

"Oh, one night?" Melissa said incredulously. The agent ducked his head, looking slightly ashamed. But he continued.

"Let me finish," he said. "So I'm drunk, passed out on the bed. I get up to use the bathroom. And then, suddenly, I hear you yelling 'what the hell are you doing?'"

"Because you were in the closet peeing in the laundry basket!" Melissa said, laughing.

"Yeah, well, I thought it was the bathroom." The nurse snorted, unconvinced.

"No. You were drunk off your ass."

"Yeah, but I was _convinced_ it was the bathroom," Agent McCall insisted. "So how do we know Stiles isn't just convinced he's in some kind of basement, and isn't actually there? I think when he called Scott, he was still asleep. And he's still asleep right now."

"And you think he's at the coyote den." Melissa repeated the earlier theory.

"Well, we're about to find out," Loki said, leaning forward. "Pull up here." Agent McCall stopped the car, and all three got out. Loki stepped hesitantly into the woods, trying to get her bearings. Making sure that the unaware FBI agent couldn't see her, she let her eyes glow red. "Okay, this is right."

Loki led the two adults through the thick of the forest, using her phone as a flashlight. She didn't really need the light; it was more so for theatrical effect. Her lip curled as she caught a whiff of the smell – the spray used to keep animals away.

"Almost there," she murmured. When she focused her senses, she could smell Stiles, very faintly underneath the strong odor. She ducked into the den, and saw Stiles. He was laying on his stomach. His face was shiny with tears, and his pale skin was almost blue with cold. "He's here!" She shouted, relief making her voice crack. She bent down gently. "Stiles. Stiles, wake up."

"No," he whispered. He began to toss and turn. "No! Wait! No!" He screamed, hysterical.

"Stiles! Stiles, it's okay!" She dragged him out of the den, struggling to hold him in place as he fought against her. Melissa grabbed him from behind. His arms were flailing wildly. The nurse wrapped her arms around the teenage boy and pulled him into a hug, both to restrain him and to stop him from hurting himself or others. Loki bent forward, lowering her voice into a calm tone. "Stiles, it's okay." She grabbed his hands. "Wake up now, please." Slowly, and then all at once, his screams stopped. The human opened his eyes.

"You're all right," Melissa told Stiles. "It's okay." He looked around, breathing heavily. Loki sat back on her heels, wiping her forehead. Stiles' eyes were wide, and he looked disoriented.

"It's okay."

* * *

"Loki! Loki!" The Alpha werewolf turned around. Aiden. Sighing in relief, she ran over to him, and he pulled her into a tight hug.

"I'm okay, nothing happened," she mumbled against his chest.

"I know." He let go of her, holding her at an arms length. "I wasn't - I wasn't going to tell you. I wish Scott hadn't called." He surveyed her face, and she shook her head. She didn't want to talk about it. She never wanted to talk about it. Aiden sighed, stepping away slightly as Derek came up to the two other werewolves, holding jumpstart cables in his hands. He looked at Loki, looking mildly confused, and she quickly plastered a normal expression on her face.

"So you think he was really just sleepwalking?" Aiden asked Derek. The other man shrugged.

"In this town there's always something more," he replied.

"What if I told you I know something more?" Aiden said. Loki looked at him sharply. Derek raised his eyebrows. "I kind of overhead…well, I listened in on Stiles talking to Scott. How he thinks he was the one who left the message in the Chemistry room. The message telling Barrow to kill Kira." Derek frowned, looking unconvinced.

"You think Stiles…skinny, defenseless, Stiles…is the Nogitsune." Derek shook his head. "A powerful, dark spirit?" Aiden shrugged.

"One, looks can be deceiving." Aiden looked pointedly at Loki, who smirked. "And two, I'm not the only one thinking it. I'm just the only one saying it."

"This thing wants to possess someone and it chooses Stiles?" Derek was still skeptical. "Why wouldn't it take someone bigger, stronger? Someone with a little more…" Something seemed to occur to Derek. "Power." He touched the metal ends of the cables together, and a large spark lit up where the metal touched.

"Derek?" Loki asked, hoping for an explanation. He looked up, eyes dazed.

"I just thought of something," he murmured, more to himself than to her. He shook his head, snapping out of his daze. "Never mind." Derek turned towards the hospital and walked away without another word.

"We should be going," Aiden said, nudging Loki.

"Yeah. Let's get home."

* * *

 **sorry this chapter took so long.**


	9. Letharia VulpinaEcho HouseDe-Void

**To Guest: Thank you very much! Glad you're enjoying it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf**

* * *

Loki popped her neck out as she stretched, leaning against her gym locker and shutting her eyes briefly. Stiles was still missing, and things had been unnervingly quiet over the past few days. Sighing, she nudged her boots off with her toe and slid into her running shoes. When she bent down to lace them up, a familiar noise caught her attention. It was an ultrasonic emitter, like the ones she knew Argent used. Frowning, Loki left the locker room, following the noise to the basement.

She opened the door as quietly as possible, letting it click shut slowly as not to arouse suspicion to whoever was in the basement. She reached the bottom of the steps, and paused to listen more closely. She could hear footsteps - not from the basement, but coming closer from upstairs. As the basement door swung open, three familiar scents filled the room, and the tension in Loki's shoulders loosened. She glanced over her shoulder, and sure enough, Scott and the twins were headed down the stairs. She nodded at them to acknowledge their presence and pointed straight in front of her, where someone was standing with their back facing the werewolves.

It was Stiles.

He turned around very slowly, holding both hands up. Something about him seemed off, disorganized and chaotic. His face was very pale, and his eyes were wide. His skin looked especially white compared to the purple smudges under his eyes and his dark mess of hair that looked like it hadn't been combed in a month.

"Okay, I know what you guys are thinking," Stiles began. His hands were still at either side of his body, trying to seem unthreatening. Two weeks ago, the thought of Stiles as threatening would have been laughable. Now, remembering the bodies from the hospital, Loki was on edge. "But it's me. I swear to God, it's me." A low growl rumbled in Loki's throat, and she didn't so much hear the twins react as anticipate it. They brushed past her as they ran at Stiles. Ethan grabbed the human by his throat, lifting him up, his claws just barely piercing the skin of Stiles' neck. Loki would have joined them if it hadn't been for Scott's quick reaction.

"Stop!" Scott yelled frantically, rushing after the twins. He grabbed Ethan by the back of his sweatshirt, slinging him in the wall behind them. "I said, stop!" Aiden whirled around, growling at Scott. The True Alpha bared his teeth and snarled in response, and a lock of surprise crossed Aiden's face. The bright blue color of his eyes disappeared as he instinctively shied away. Loki snarled again, the urge to defend her friends rushing through her, even if it was to Scott. He turned on her, and she stared defiantly at him, but let the crimson color in her eyes fade as their eyes locked. Scott visibly relaxed, relieved that he did not have to fight Loki.

Scott turned back to Stiles, who was cowering against the lockers, dark eyes wide. When Scott looked at him, his friend began to speak again.

"It's me, Scott. I swear it's me. I don't know where I've been the past two days, or what I've been doing, but this is me. I promise." Scott didn't say a word, but Ethan spoke up from behind the two friends.

"You know what happened at the hospital?" Stiles glanced at the ground.

"I know more than that," he mumbled. He moved past Scott and Loki, knelt on the ground and held up a blue map. "You see this?" He asked rhetorically as he began to open it. "It's a blueprint of the hospital's electric wiring. You see all the markings in red? That's my handwriting." Loki bent down for a closer look, tilting her head to follow the messy scrawl on the wrinkled paper. They were notes for how to sabotage the wiring at the hospital. Notes for an incident exactly like the one that had happened. "I know I did this. I know I caused the accident. And everything in this bag," Stiles motioned to the open duffle in front of him. "It's all stuff that could be part of something bigger."

Ethan pulled the bag towards him, and began to rifle through the stuff in it. He held up a power saw, and scowled in Stiles' direction.

"What the hell have you been up to?" He asked.

"I think something worse," Stiles said. "A lot worse." Loki stood up suddenly, grabbing the bag and turning around.

"What are you doing?" Scott asked as she tossed it on the table behind them. She began dumping the contents out on the tabletop, sifting through them and tossing the duffle bag to the ground.

"Getting a better look," she responded, as the boys began to crowd around the table. Aiden reached around Loki, pulling out a length of chain.

"What the hell were you doing, building a Terminator?"

"Thank you for that," Stiles muttered sarcastically. He was wringing his hands as he paced around the table, waiting for the wolves to assimilate themselves with the contents of the bag. Loki held up a folded piece of paper, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Scott," she said, holding it out to him. He took the paper from her, unfolding it.

"Guys, this is a map," he said. Stiles had traced a line in red marker across the map, through the woods. Ethan bent over, running his finger along the mark.

"Isn't that the cross country trail?" He asked. Loki studied the map, and realized something else.

"And that's the Tate car," she said, touching a point on the map gently. "Where Malia Tate's family died." She hadn't been there for the incident, of course, but Scott had told her about it later. Something registered on Stiles' face, and his jaw clenched.

"You mean that's where her father put the steel-jawed traps," Stiles muttered. Loki looked up as realization dawned on her. Judging by her friends' faces, they had deduced the same thing.

"We gotta stop the runners."

* * *

"Stop, stop!" Stiles shouted, holding his hands up as the cross-country team ran towards him. "Everybody stop." Confusion swept through the crowd of high-school students, both at Stiles' sudden reappearance and by his random hysteria. Nevertheless, they obeyed.

Bending down, Stiles ran his hands through the leaves until he came across a rusted metal ring. He began to pull it slowly, his hands shaking. But as the length of chain gathered in his trembling hands, it was attached only to another metal ring. Loki's lips pressed together, and she glanced at Aiden in confusion. Her expression was mirrored on his face. Coach Finstock began to clap loudly.

"Congratulations, Stilinski," the coach deadpanned. "You found a length of chain. Can somebody now please tell me what the hell is going on?" As he took another step forward, his foot brushed through the leaves, tugging on a tripwire.

"Hey, Coach!" Scott shouted a warning, but it came too late. An arrow flew from nowhere, piercing the Coach's stomach. Almost immediately, the salted, rusty scent of blood filled the air, and the red substance oozed out of the wound, staining the coach's shirt.

"Oh, crap," the man muttered absently as he fell backwards, hitting the ground. For the first few seconds, Coach was unconscious and blissfully quiet. Almost immediately, however, he woke up and began to scream. "Get it out of me! Get it out of me, get it out of me, get it out of me."

"Okay, Coach," Stiles began to talk, trying to calm the older man down.

"I'm going to die!" He shrieked. "Get it out of me!" He struggled against Aiden and Scott, who were holding down his arms as Stiles applied pressure to the wound on his stomach.

"Coach, it'll hurt less if you stop moving," Aiden reminded the man. Paying him no mind, Coach Finstock flailed around wildly. Aiden looked up, scowling when he noticed the still hovering teenagers. "Step back! Give him some room, step back!" Ethan nodded, waving the clueless humans away from the scene as the Coach continued to scream. Stiles gritted his teeth, and shot Loki a pleading look. She pressed her lips together, and bent down to talk to the wounded man.

"Coach? Calm down, please." She sweetened her voice, making it as soothing as possible. "You're not going to die. An ambulance is on the way. You're going to be fine. Everything is going to be fine." As her words flowed over him, the coach began to quiet down. Loki nodded at Scott. The other Alpha clasped Coach's hand in his own. His face contorted into a grimace as he took the other man's pain, his veins swelling with black blood.

"I think he just passed out," Aiden said. His voice was shaking ever so slightly. Stiles lifted his blood-coated hands up. They trembled as he surveyed them, eyes wide with fear and regret.

"I could have killed him," Stiles whispered. "I could have killed him, right?" Stiles voice rose. "What if it was his head, or his throat?"

"But it wasn't," Loki reminded Stiles. Once again, her words were filled with all her charm and persuasion. The words registered with Stiles pacifyingly as almost reflexively continued what she'd started with Coach. "He's going to be alright." Stiles locked eyes with her, and she nodded once. Stiles ducked his head, taking a deep, shaky breath.

"I think I just heard an ambulance coming," Aiden said. Stiles' head snapped up immediately, and an unreadable expression crossed his face as he heard the sirens.

"And my dad."

* * *

Loki stood apart from the crowd of students, next to Scott. He had wrapped his arm around her waist almost instinctively, but that was really the only interaction they'd had in what felt like a long time. Briefly, Loki allowed herself to rest her head against Scott's shoulder and pretend that none of this was happening.

Her peaceful image shattered when Ethan called the two Alphas over. She led Scott to where Ethan was digging through the trunk of Stiles' jeep. A bunch of odds and ends were tossed in it, such as wrapping paper, screws, and duct tape. Scott picked up the tube of wrapping paper.

"This is the same wrapping paper we used on Coach's present," Scott recalled. He held the tube delicately, like it might explode if he handled it the wrong way. Loki rubbed a knot in the back of her neck. Something about that bothered her. It only took a second or two for her to realize that it was.

"Wasn't that William Barrow's thing?" She asked. Ethan nodded somberly. He'd reached the same conclusion.

"A bomb made from nails and bolts all wrapped up in a birthday present. Where did it go off?" Horror crossed Scott's face as he turned to look at his life-long best friend. Stiles was still talking to his dad, wiping the blood off of his hands meticulously.

"On a school bus."

* * *

Back in the school parking lot, Loki spotted the Sherriff and a few of the deputies just ahead of her. She murmured a quick 'I'll be back,' to Scott, and ran to catch up with them.

"Hey, whoa." Parrish put his hand out, blocking her from stepping closer. "You need to keep your distance." Loki took a single step back, glancing at Stilinski.

"As do you, Parrish," the Sherriff said. "We wait for the bomb squad." The deputy turned towards his boss.

"I'm a certified HDT," he told the other man as he popped the trunk of the squad care. "Two years in the army." He shucked off his jacket, grabbing some protective gear and slamming the trunk shut. "I can at least find out if this thing's real."

"Parrish, our main priority right now is that kid on the bus. We need to make sure he stays calm and still until the bomb squad gets here." Even as he spoke, the Sherriff's resolve was crumbling.

"That's why I'm here," Loki said. Parrish and Stilinski both turned towards her in abject shock. She raised her eyebrows. "Let me talk to him. I can calm him down, trust me." Her eyes were on the Sherriff. Stilinski remembered what Stiles had told him about Loki, about the persuasiveness of her honeyed tone. That, and his desperation to get the bomb dealt with was enough to make the Sherriff's decision quick.

"Fine." He turned towards his deputy, whose eyes were full of confusion and astonishment. "Parrish, listen to her." The young deputy pressed his lips together, but before he could argue, Stilinski held up a hand. "I know, I know. But the only way I let you get on that bus is if she goes with you." Parrish inhaled deeply, and sighed. He nodded in acquiesce and beckoned Loki forward.

"Do exactly as I say," he warned her, as he handed over a heavy, bulletproof vest. It would offer her minimal protection if the bomb was to go off. She strapped it on as quickly as possible. Despite the heavy weight of it, Parrish noticed with surprise that her slender shoulders didn't even curve under the mass. "You'll get on the bus, and you'll talk to him. The _second_ he's calm, you get off. Understood?" She nodded, following him up the steps. Despite the fact that she was about to enter close quarters with an explosive device, she seemed oddly calm. Halfway down the aisle of the bus he held up a hand.

"He'll be able to hear you from here," Parrish told her, his tone leaving no room for argument. Loki nodded tersely, her eyes focused on the boy only a few feet away. His face was deathly pale, sweat glistening on his skin as he trembled.

"St – Stay back," he gasped out, sounding terrified.

"Jared," Loki began to talk as Parrish moved closer slowly. With every step Parrish took, Jared's breaths became shallower and faster. "Everything is going to be okay, yes? Just listen very closely." The deputy knelt by the teenager, and Jared winced, his eyes squeezing shut. The teenager's breathing reached hyperventilation, and Loki spoke again, more urgently. "Jared!"

His eyes snapped open again, re-focusing on the girl in front of him. She softened her voice again.

" _Listen_ to me...can you hear me?" Jared nodded, eyes wide. "Good...just focus on my voice, okay? No one is going to be hurt today, I promise. Just stay calm. You're going to be fine. Now, you need to listen to _him_ , okay? He's going to tell you what to do." Loki began to back away slowly, remembering Parrish's order. As her footsteps faded, Jared looked down at Parrish. He looked back.

"Jared," the deputy said, trying to imitate Loki's quiet, calm tone. He was guessing he barely did half as good a job. "It would be very helpful if you could resist throwing up on the potential explosive device. Can you do that for me?" The teenager nodded, swallowing hard. His face was slightly less pale, probably more because of Loki's influence than his own.

"I think so." Parrish nodded, carefully sliding a pair of scissors underneath the ribbon of the neatly wrapped box. "You – you look very – "

"Handsome?" Parrish finished. "Thank you. For a second there, I thought you were going to say that I look very young, and I was going to have to launch into my explanation about how I'm actually twenty-four, and that anyone can look young if they eat right and exercise. Although, it's probably just good genes, anyway, right?" As he spoke, Parrish snipped the ribbon. Jared gasped, flinching violently.

Parrish gently nudged the lid of the box off just enough to peer inside. As he did so, unmistakable relief and confusion crossed his face.

"Huh." Pressing down on his walkie-talkie, Parrish spoke. "It's not a bomb, sir, but there is something in the box." Picking up the object, Parrish walked to the front of the bus, pressing the nameplate from the Sherriff's desk against the window so he could see. He held up a hand, indicating his confusion. Loki watched as Stilinski's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and then his face dropped in horror.

"My god," he muttered. "There is a bomb, just not here."

* * *

Parrish sighed as he gathered papers that had fallen to the floor in the wake of the explosion. Two of the file cabinets had spilled out, and it was going to take forever to sort through the files of paperwork that had been scattered randomly on the floor. Not to mention the dead and wounded deputies. Parrish rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Need a hand?" Parrish jumped slightly, and turned around. It was Loki. She smiled sheepishly when he started. "Sorry."

"Shouldn't you be…" Various ways to finish the sentences flashed through the young man's mind. At home? At a party? At a friend's? "…anywhere else?" Loki shrugged, bending down to help sort the papers.

"I have a knack for being where I'm not supposed to be," she answered, voice soft.

"Yeah, I've noticed," Parrish replied, thinking back to earlier that day on the bus, to two nights ago in the Sherriff's station and in the coyote's den. Loki smiled sheepishly again. Parrish didn't know her well, but something about the expression seemed off on her face, like she knew more than he did, like she knew something that made it okay to be where she shouldn't be.

"Does it bother you?" She asked. It was the second time she'd asked him that. Parrish looked over at her, and then looked away. He shook his head.

"How did you do…whatever you did today? The talking thing?" Loki shrugged, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Have you always been able to do that?"

"Everyone has their talents," Loki replied smoothly, a serene smile playing across plump lips. Parrish shook his head, turning back to the scattered papers.

"Jeez," he commented lightly. "Bet Mom and Dad had a hell of a time saying no to you in a toy store, huh?"

"I guess." Loki's voice sounded slightly strained, but when he glanced over at the girl, her expression was as smooth and placid as ever. He chalked it up to imagination.

"I never…I never really introduced myself." He stuck out his hand. "I'm Jordan Parrish." She smiled again, shaking his hand.

"Well, I'm Loki, again." She left out her last name, and when he raised his eyebrows, silently inquiring, she simply matched his expression, staying quiet. He laughed, letting go her hand.

"My shift's over," he said, glancing at the clock and standing. "Do you, uh, need a ride home?" Loki glanced out the window, and then back at her companion. Her green eyes were strangely luminous, even in the dark, and when she smiled her white teeth gleamed.

"If you're offering."

* * *

Allison opened the door, where Loki was standing with the twins and Scott. She started talking immediately, leading them over to where Lydia was waiting at the end of the hallway.

"My father said that all the Katashi evidence is being moved to a federal lockup by armored car tonight. Probably within the next few hours." Loki stopped short, realizing quickly what Allison was implying.

"We're going to rob an armored car?" She asked incredulously. Scott squeezed her hand reassuringly, but when she looked over at him, he looked just as confused.

"Well…" the Banshee stretched out the word like taffy. "We're going to try." She entered Argent's office, leading them over to his desk as began to explain. Loki listened, her shock and dread growing as Lydia laid out her idea. When the redhead finished talking, Loki chewed her bottom lip, unsure how to say what she was thinking politely. Luckily, Scott voiced her opinion for her.

"This is a really bad plan," the True Alpha said, not bothering with subtlety. Lydia pressed her lips together.

"It's not that bad," she defended her idea, although not even she sounded convinced.

"It's not that good," Ethan countered. The others were gathered around the desk, but Aiden was slouched in a chair as he listened to the plan with dull interest. As the others spoke, he rubbed his temples like he had a headache.

"None of us knows the route they're going to take," Lydia argued. "If Allison can get one of her dad's GPS trackers on the armored car, then we can follow it." Allison nodded, and pointed to a part of the map that she'd emphasized in black pen.

"So when it gets here – "

"We attack them," Aiden offered. Lydia spun around, her hair flying over her shoulders. She surveyed her the werewolf disdainfully as she spoke, exasperation dripping from every word.

"No. Your bikes will be in the middle of the road, looking like you guys got into an accident. And when the driver gets out to help – "

"We attack him."

"No!" Lydia and Allison exclaimed together.

"Aiden, we understand _perfectly_ well what direction your one-track mind is headed in." Loki's voice was dry, and Aiden scowled at her. "You and Ethan distract the driver, and Scott will…break open the back door. And I'm going to be _in_ the truck from the beginning?" Loki winced. "Yeah, this is a really, really bad plan." Lydia rolled her eyes.

"It's important. There's going to be a lot of stuff in there, and the finger is small," she said.

"It's not his actual finger, is it?" Ethan murmured, looking grossed out. Loki scoffed, and he glared at her. "What?"

"Okay, I get that you never paid attention during our studies, but I'd have hoped that you'd know what the word 'prosthetic' meant." Scott blinked, looking surprised.

"Did Deucalion seriously homeschool you guys?"

"That's really not the point," Loki snapped.

"God, Lo, why are you in such a bad mood?" Ethan demanded, glaring at his friend.

"I'm not," the Alpha snapped. But she was. Knowing that Stiles was in Eichen House right now, knowing how closely tied she was to it at the moment was setting her on edge. She half-expected one of the orderlies to bust in at any minute and drag her back to her tiny cell in the closed wing. She shuddered involuntarily. Ethan shook his head, but his mouth tugged down in concern.

"Why aren't we just going to Stilinski for help?" the blonde asked.

"Because if he get's caught, then it's the Sherriff tampering with federal evidence," Scott explained.

"Guys, this is going to work!" Allison insisted. "We can do this. We're losing Stiles, my dad is in jail for murder…we _need_ to do this."

* * *

Loki sat hunched in the shadows as she watched various deputies load boxes of evidence into the truck. She knew that they weren't stupid enough to leave the truck unattended, so she was going to need to move fast. She was holding a rock in her hand, turning it over and over as she waited for her chance. When all but one of the deputies went back inside, and the last one began to close the truck, she knew she needed to act quickly.

The rock pinged against the metal of the truck and clacked to the ground. The deputy stilled, looking around suspiciously and putting his hand on the holster of his gun. As he leaned around the truck, taking a few, cautious steps away from the slightly open back doors, Loki moved.

She sprinted towards the truck, feet falling too quietly and quickly to be noticed by the deputy. Hopefully.

As soon as she was inside the trunk, she hunkered down in the shadows, squeezing her eyes shut. This was a really, _really_ bad plan. Loki heard the door click shut and lock, and she let out a sigh of relief. Just as quickly as her apprehension faded, however, it returned. The truck wasn't nearly as quiet as it should have been. She could hear another heartbeat.

Before Loki could react, someone grabbed her around the throat, squeezing hard. She choked, flailing against the strength of her assailant. The doors to the truck flew open, and Loki felt her body being tossed like a rag doll, and she hit the pavement hard.

* * *

When Loki came to, she was still sprawled on the cold concrete right below the truck. Allison was kneeling beside her, eyebrows creased in concern. Her face relaxed when she saw Loki's eyes open. The huntress helped Loki to her feet. She got up slowly, wincing and rubbing the bruises on her throat.

"You okay?" Allison checked. Loki nodded, taking her arm back from the huntress. The only thing that really hurt was her throat.

"What did I miss?" She asked, grimacing at the rasp of her voice. Her voice sounded tiny and squashed, like someone was still squeezing the air out her lungs while she spoke.

"The twins wanted to kill him." Allison jutted her chin towards the man kneeling in front of Scott. He was the one who'd grabbed her. "Scott stopped them."

"So, nothing new then," Loki muttered. When she spoke, she winced again and started to cough.

"Your throat's going to be sore," Allison cautioned her.

"Yeah, no shit," Loki muttered. The brunette huffed with amusement, and Ethan shot his friend an exasperated look.

"I think she meant 'shut up.'" Loki flipped him off, and the other werewolf smirked. The curly-haired girl glanced over at Scott, raising her eyebrows inquisitively. Scott held up the tiny scroll in answer.

"We got it."

* * *

Loki's phone buzzed, pulling her out of her sleep. She sat up in bed, groping around blindly for her phone. She held it in front of her face, squinting at the bright screen.

 **Aiden: School. Now.**

Loki kicked the covers off, grabbing a pair of jeans from the ground and pulling them on. She jammed her feet into shoes and grabbed her helmet as she ran down the stairs, not bothering to wait for the elevator. As she reached the parking lot, she felt something crawling up her cheek.

"What the hell?" Loki brushed the tickling feeling away, but the stubborn fly crawled back up her wrist. She smacked it impatiently, squishing it.

She started her bike, speeding along the familiar course for the high school. When she got to the mostly empty parking lot, she braked, jumping off her bike hastily and tossing the helmet down. She pushed open the doors to the school, before slowing down, listening carefully.

"Aiden?" She shouted, her voice echoing around the empty walls. She shivered at the empty sound, remembering how peoples' screams would echo around Eichen House at night. Quickening her step, she ran towards the locker rooms. Before she could move further than a few feet, however, someone grabbed her, forcing her against the lockers. A cold blade pressed against her throat, and Loki snarled instinctively. It was Allison.

The huntress eyed Loki suspiciously, as Loki's fangs disappeared and the werewolf stared at Allison in surprise.

"Are you really Loki?" Allison demanded, pressing the blade a little further into the delicate skin.

"Last time I checked," Loki quipped. Her eyes flicked down to the blade. "The hell are you doing?" Allison stepped back somewhat reluctantly, sheathing her dagger.

"Sorry," Allison apologized. "The twins and Isaac – something's wrong with them. Come on." Loki jogged after the other teenager, and they ran into the boys' locker room. Loki realized immediately what Allison meant by 'wrong.' Kira was there, holding out a sword threateningly in Isaac's direction. Isaac didn't seem to be the one who was in danger, however. The twins were prone on the ground. Allison whacked Isaac over the head with her crossbow, getting his attention.

"Isaac," she said, warningly. The werewolf stepped back, touching his head and growling. The twins were quickly regaining consciousness, and they stood up as well, eyes glowing blue. Loki watched as Isaac shifted completely, and the twins' fangs dropped.

Kira grabbed Loki's wrist, tugging her into Coach's office with Allison without a word. The Kitsune slammed the door shut, locking it, and Loki shoved the desk across the floor and against the door. She knew it wouldn't do much, but it offered them a temporary shelter, and hopefully would give them enough time to make a plan.

"Was that a good idea?" Kira asked.

"Probably not," Allison replied. The three girls stood across from the three boys, waiting. To Loki's surprise, instead of trying to break the door down and attack the girls, the werewolves turned on each other. That's when Loki realized that something was really wrong. Whatever the thing controlling them was - and Loki was making an educated guess that it had something to do with the Nogitsune - it wasn't giving their anger a certain direction. They were willing to attack everything in sight.

"They're not going to kill each other, are they?" Kira whispered. Loki winced as the twins through Isaac back against the door, causing the glass to shatter.

"Well…I think they're definitely going to try." She turned towards the other two girls. "We have to stop them." Allison nodded, eyes wide as she thought. Loki remembered that female hunters were typically the strategic heads, and for Allison, this trait seemed innate.

"Can you – can you stop them? I mean, you're an Alpha." Loki made a face, tilting her head back and forth in indecision.

"Do you want me to be optimistic or honest?" Loki asked rhetorically, raising an eyebrow at the hunter. Allison nodded, pressing her lips together.

"Okay, got it. I guess, then…" she turned to Kira. "Try not to kill them, right?"

"I was just going to try to stay alive," Kira responded, eyes wide. Loki shook her head, sighing.

"That works, too." In an unspoken signal, the three girls kicked open the doors. As they entered the locker room, the three fighting werewolves acknowledged their presence immediately – by attacking them. Aiden slashed at Loki, and she dodged the hit. Leading Aiden backwards and away from the others, she began to fight back.

When he lashed out at her again, she ducked the hit and grabbed his arm, cracking it back over her shoulder. She heard the joint crunch, and he howled in pain, scooping her up and slamming her against the lockers. Grimacing, Loki wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer to her. She brought her head forward quickly, cracking it against his. The hit was strong enough to make Aiden stumble back. Loki backed up, meeting up with Kira and Allison as all three Beta werewolves advanced on them.

As she watched in trepidation for their attack, Isaac and the twins' faces slackened, and black blood began to ooze from their lips. All three fell to the ground limply, like puppets whose strings had been cut. Loki bent down beside the three werewolves, her eyes wide. She then glanced back up at the other two girls, both of whom looked just as confused as she felt. Loki wasn't sure exactly what had happened, but she was sure of one thing.

"We are so lucky."

* * *

 **so sorry that this one is one the shorter side, especially considering that it's technically four episodes.**

 **also i know that loki going on the bus with parrish is v unrealistic but i feel like other things like that have happened in the show, so we're gonna roll with it.**

 **anyways, next chapter should be up soon! until then, please leave a review and tell me what you think! i hate to sound like i'm begging, but i love any and all feedback.**

 **:)**


	10. InsatiableThe Divine Move

**To NinjaFang1331: Thank you!**

 **To Phoenix Crest: :) Parrish is a cutie. That's all I'll say. XD**

 **To Guest: I'm glad you love them together as much as I do!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf**

* * *

Deaton rushed into the boys' locker room, taking stock of the situation quickly. He looked from the three boys on the ground to the three girls standing in front of them. He nodded once, quickly assuming a business-like manner.

"Help me." Loki quickly moved, assisting the Druid in dragging the three werewolves to the showers. The man started the water, forcing Aiden under it first. He looked at Loki. "Hold him, please." The dark-skinned girl nodded, gripping Aiden's arms to restrain his movement. Deaton pressed down on Aiden's jaw, forcing his mouth open. As Loki watched in disgust, he reached his hand down the boy's throat.

Aiden gagged around Deaton's fist, struggling. Loki grunted, bracing her feet and tightening her grasp on his arms. Deaton pulled his fist out, letting a small, dead fly drop to the ground. Aiden sagged in Loki's hold, and she let him go.

Without waiting for Deaton's instruction, Loki grabbed Ethan and Deaton repeated the process. Isaac watched, eyes wide with horror. As Ethan retched down the drain, the veterinarian turned towards the last werewolf.

"Isaac. You're next." Isaac's eyes glowed golden, and he shook his head.

"I'm aware," he insisted. Loki shook her head, grabbing him and holding him in the same position as she had the twins. He _was_ slightly more aware of what was happening than Aiden and Ethan had been, and that made things harder. Loki had to strain harder to hold him in place.

"Don't fight it," Deaton warned the Beta. "Almost there…got it." Loki relaxed her grip and stepped back. Isaac stood up freely, coughing and rubbing his throat.

"Are they okay now?" Allison asked, watching Isaac with concern.

"I hope so," Deaton replied, which wasn't exactly reassuring. "The part that's worrisome is that this was most likely just a distraction for what was happening with Stiles."

"There's really two of them now?" Kira asked. "How is that even possible?"

"And how did the other one just _take_ Lydia?" Allison demanded. Deaton shook his head.

"We turned around and they were gone," he told them. "So was her car."

"So no one notices him kidnapping her right out of the house?" Aiden snapped. His anger was slightly dulled by his exhaustion and pain.

"Most of us were concentrated on the bizarre sight of a creature materializing out of the floor," Deaton replied drily, which was probably the closest to annoyed he got. Aiden sighed, slumping against the shower wall in defeat.

"Hold on," Loki said, drawing everyone's attention to her. "I hate to say this, but how are we so sure which Stiles is which? How are we sure that one of them is even Stiles at all?"

"That's what they're trying to figure out now," Deaton replied. Loki's phone buzzed with a text, and she tugged her phone out of her pocket, wiping the water droplets on the screen away on the thigh of her jeans.

 **Scott: Come to my house asap. Bring Kira.**

Loki tilted her phone in the other girl's direction. Kira read the text and nodded, and Loki beckoned her away.

"Are you leaving?" Loki turned towards Ethan, who was still draped against the wall, his head leaned back like it was too heavy to hold up. She held up her phone in explanation.

"Scott needs us," she replied. He nodded, and opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it as though he thought better of what he was about to say. "What?"

"Don't worry about it," Ethan said. He glanced at Aiden before reaching out and taking Loki's phone in his hands. He switched the ringer on and handed it back. "Just keep your phone on, okay?" Loki frowned.

"Yeah, fine."

* * *

"Oh, no," Kira muttered as Loki pulled her motorcycle to a stop outside Scott's house. "That's my mom's car." Loki kicked the kickstand down, and the two girls ran into the house. Noshiko was already there, facing Scott, Melissa, and Stiles. The latter was being supported by his friend and Melissa, like he couldn't walk on his own.

"Stop!" Kira said. Stiles carefully extracted himself from the two McCall's, and walked forward in a slow limp.

"It's okay," he said. "I'm the one who asked her to come."

"You're the one who's going to be stabbed with swords," Kira corrected him. "Mom, don't do this to him."

"It's already done," Yoshiko insisted cryptically. As she spoke, the Oni materialized in the living room. It performed the now-familiar ritual on Stiles, who fell to the ground. The Oni disappeared immediately, no swordplay at all. "Look behind his ear," the elder Kitsune ordered her daughter. Kira and the others rushed over to their friend's prone body. Loki gently bent his earlobe back, and traced the faint figure with her hand. She nodded.

"It worked." Scott sounded relieved.

"So, I'm actually me?" Stiles checked, carefully getting up. Loki supported his back, helping him steady himself.

"More you than the Nogitsune," Noshiko responded. She still hadn't moved from her spot across the room, like she was afraid to get closer. Stiles nodded.

"Can the Oni find him?"

"Tomorrow night. It's too close to dawn now." Stiles scowled, shaking his head.

"Can they kill him?"

"It depends on how strong he is," Noshiko told the teenager calmly. Her voice was calm, nearly clinical, even as she spoke of a relatively dire situation that directly effected her.

"What about Lydia?" Loki asked. "Why would he take her?"

"He would only take her for an advantage," Noshiko said. "The power of a Banshee."

* * *

Loki stood in the McCall's living room. Stiles was asleep on the couch. Scott glanced over at the girl. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and just lose himself in Loki. He felt like he hadn't been with her in a long time, even if it had only been a few days. Maybe it was because in those few days, Scott had spent a lot of time with Kira, something that he felt guilty about. He watched as Loki checked her phone again, refreshing her texts.

"Hey." Loki looked up. Scott was in front of her. He reached out, tracing a hand down her face gently. "What's wrong? You keep checking your phone." Loki shook her head, looking away. She looked nervous.

"Just – Ethan told me to keep my phone of last night." Scott raised his eyebrows, confused, and Loki continued to explain. "For as long as I can remember, the only time the twins or I would ever turn the ringer on our phones on is if we're waiting for a specific message." Loki swallowed hard. "Like when Ennis died." She looked down at her phone again. Her last text from Aiden had been the night before, telling her to come to the school. Her latest from Ethan was from two nights previous, asking what she wanted for dinner. "I'm just…I'm worried." Scott nodded.

"You can go if you need to," he told her. His voice was soft, his eyes full of concern. Loki hesitated, but not for long. Before she left, she pulled Scott down and kissed him.

"I'll be back. Promise."

* * *

"Loki!" The Alpha turned to see Derek. She waited, instantly suspicious.

"What?" she asked, scowling at the other werewolf instinctively. She knew that Derek didn't like her, and she wasn't exactly his biggest fan.

"What are you doing here?" His tone wasn't quite hostile, but it was guarded carefully.

"Looking for the twins," Loki responded. "I have a bad feeling." Derek nodded.

"So do I. I heard gunshots." Loki's eyes widened. "You can find them, right?" Loki nodded. Tracking was easy for her, and she knew the twins better than anyone else. Derek followed her through the woods, watching quietly as Loki followed nearly invisible tracks, scents, and used her hearing. The entire Alpha Pack had been taught for as long as they could remember to conceal their paths to the best of their ability, and to anyone but Loki, the twins trail would have been cold. Derek couldn't help being impressed.

"Smell that?" She asked, suddenly. Derek inhaled, and curled his lip. He nodded.

"Blood," she said, voice taught with concern. As usual, her eyes were de-void of emotion, but her voice betrayed her worry. "And wolfsbane. We need to find them, quickly." Derek placed a hand on her shoulder, and she jumped slightly.

"We'll find them," he promised her. She didn't relax, and Derek couldn't blame her. He hadn't exactly been warm and fuzzy towards her.

"What makes you not like me?" Loki asked, conversationally. Derek looked over at her, but she wasn't looking at him. Her eyes were focused in the distance, looking for any sign of the twins. "When the Oni were at Scott's house? What made you want to warn him?"

"Just whispers and rumors," Derek admitted. "But enough to make me wary." He cast a look at her. "You were a prisoner at Eichen. That's enough to set any sane person on edge." Loki pursed her lips, and Derek sensed that he'd hit a sore spot. "What?"

"Not everyone at Eichen – " She stilled, breaking off from whatever she had been about to say. "I hear them." Without waiting for a response from Derek, Loki took off. She sprinted through the forest, Derek close behind her. As they got closer to the twins, Derek could hear the pained grunts of the teenage werewolves.

Ethan was supporting Aiden, dragging his brother through the woods. Both of them were covered with black blood. Ethan stumbled and fell, dropping his brother in the process. Loki and Derek burst out after them. Loki hauled Ethan to his feet, supporting him and pulling him along. Derek grabbed Aiden, slinging the other werewolf over his shoulder.

"Run!" He shouted, as more gunshots burst behind them. Derek led the group, holding Aiden. Ethan limped after them, stumbling every now and then. Loki brought up the rear, and every time Ethan fell, she nudged him back to his feet.

As Derek ran through the woods, Loki started to recognize where they were. Near Malia's den. Derek ducked into the cave, and set Aiden on the ground. Ethan collapsed next to his brother.

"Where are we?" He gasped, breathing labored with pain.

"It's a coyote's den," Derek said. "Stay quiet." Loki was kneeling next to Aiden, her eyes full of concern. Ethan, although obviously in pain, was well enough to talk. Aiden, on the other hand, was lying on his back with his eyes closed. Black blood oozed from his lips and he gagged on it, spitting it up.

"Lo," Ethan gasped out. She turned towards him. "You see the shooter? You know who it is?" She shook her head, and he leaned his head back against the wall, eyes slipping shut as he sighed.

"Who else did the three of you piss off?" Derek snapped. Loki glared at him.

"Would you like the list or the PowerPoint format?" She muttered, bending over Aiden gently.

"We pissed off everyone," Aiden clarified. "It was only a matter of time before someone caught up to us." His head thudded back again, and he closed his eyes.

"Well, the bullets had wolfsbane in them," Derek stated unnecessarily. "If I don't get you two out of here soon, the poison is going to spread. Stay quiet."

"What do you think?" she snapped.

"Don't Scott and the others need your help?"

"Scott and the others will be fine," Loki responded. Even as she spoke, a twinge of guilt crawled up her spine. But her attention was still focused on the twins. "You go do whatever you need to do, get whoever you need to get. I'll stay with them."

* * *

Night was falling when Derek returned with Argent. Together, they dragged the twins and Loki back to Derek's loft. By the time the twins got back to the loft, they were in bad shape. Aiden was unconscious, and Ethan's breath had become shallow and raspy. Derek beckoned Argent and Loki over, and Loki left her friends' sides reluctantly. He held out a bullet shell.

"I found this on the ground," he said.

"This wasn't Araya, was it?" Argent asked.

"I don't think so," Derek replied, turning it over in his hand. "They don't look like her shells." He held it out to Loki. "Recognize it?" Taking it in her hand, Loki studied it closely. She shook her head.

"Nothing stands out," she replied. She offered it to Argent. The hunter took it, glancing it over. His eyes widened, and he gripped it tightly in his hand.

"That's not possible," he muttered to himself. Loki cocked an eyebrow. Before she could voice her question, Argent's phone rang. He dug his hand into his pocket and answered the call.

"Allison?" Loki could hear the huntresses voice speaking rapidly on the other end.

" _They found her. Scott found her, Dad, they found Lydia. I'm on my way."_

"Allison, hold on," Argent said. "You have to wait."

" _I can't, Dad."_

"Allison, wait for me." He was begging his daughter, as though he had some sort of extra reason to worry all of the sudden. But Allison was adamant on leaving immediately.

" _There's no time! It's already night, there's no time, Dad."_

"Wait, Allison, wait!" The line buzzed, indicating that she'd hung up. Argent grimaced, lowering the phone from his ear. He glanced back at Derek and Loki. The female werewolf nodded at him.

"Go. And thank you."

* * *

Loki was sitting on the couch, watching as Derek cauterized the last of Ethan's wounds with a lighter. He was wincing, eyes crinkled at the corners like it hurt. Aiden was standing near Loki. He looked better than he had last night, but his clothes and face were still covered with black blood.

"You should be fine in a couple of hours," Derek said, snapping the lighter closed. "Unless whoever shot you manages to find you again." Aiden shook his head, crossing the room briskly.

"Lydia's with Scott, we need to go." Loki rolled her eyes.

"You're going to try to convince her to go with you?" Derek sounded amused. Aiden turned around, glaring at Derek defensively.

"I'm gonna try to convince her to run and hide," he responded. "Like any sane person would do." Derek raised his eyebrows and turned towards Ethan.

"And Danny?" he inquired conversationally.

"Allison's dead," Ethan snapped back. "Stiles is dying. What do you think?"

"I think Danny won't believe you," Derek replied coldly. "And Lydia would never run and hide."

"Because of Stiles?" Aiden's voice was hard with jealousy, bitterness edging every word. Loki still hadn't moved from her seat on the couch, but she watched their exchange with exhausted interest.

"Because of Scott," Derek snapped. He glanced at Loki. "You've been trying to find a way into his pack. Trying to earn his trust, trying to fight for him. You've had it wrong the whole time. You don't fight for a leader. You fight for a leader's cause." Aiden shook his head.

"What cause?"

"Scott's always been about one thing. Saving his friends. He will do anything and everything to save the people he cares about. When there's no chance of winning, he keeps fighting. When all hope is lost, he finds another way. And when he's beaten down, he stands up again! You want to find a place in his pack? You want redemption? Find another way to stand and fight." The twins exchanged a look. Then, simultaneously, they looked to Loki. She met their gaze calmly. But it was Derek who voiced the question. "Loki, what are you doing?" The Alpha considered her last words to Scott. She also remembered, guiltily, what she'd told Derek earlier that day - " _Scott and the others will be fine."_

"I told Scott – I _promised_ Scott that I was coming back," Loki replied. "And I can't leave him. I can't break that promise. Not now." Loki looked at the ground. She shook her head. "Maybe not ever." The Alpha stood up to face her oldest friends in the world. Her green eyes were cool and steely, hiding any sign of her remorse neatly. "If you want to leave, leave. I'm not going to tell you guys to stay. But I'm not going to tell you I'm coming with you, either."

* * *

Loki walked beside Derek. The other werewolf clutched the triskele box in his hand. The Nogitsune was sitting on the steps of the school, flanked by an Oni on either side. The Nogitsune looked even unhealthier than Stiles had the last time she'd seen him – skin as pale as a corpse, with purple circles the color of a fresh bruise under his eyes. Even so, he looked enough like the sarcastic, happy human that when he smirked sadistically at the two werewolves approaching him, it sent chills down Loki's spin.

"Aw…did you bring us a present?" He asked sarcastically. Loki snarled. The twins responded to her growl, approaching Derek and Loki.

"We brought two," Derek responded.

"I've heard of an Alpha Pack, Derek, but not a pack of former Alphas," the Nogitsune sneered. "It's a little sad, isn't it?" Loki grinned, and her eyes glowed red as her fangs dropped and her nails extended into claws.

"I," she said primly. "Am an Alpha." The Nogitsune shook his head, lips tilted up in an annoying, know-it-all smile. Two more Oni appeared beside him.

"Not for too much longer, Loki."

* * *

The female Alpha ducked a sword swipe from one of the Oni. Even if the demon had a weapon and she didn't, years of fighting gave her enough of an edge to keep up with her opponent. She flipped backwards, dodging another swing and kicked out, hitting the Oni in a ribcage.

"Where the hell are they?" Aiden shouted, as he looked around the empty courtyard. Ethan kicked the Oni he was fighting down, and turned to answer his brother.

"The Jeep's here, they have to be somewhere!" Loki swiped at the Oni, sinking her claws in deep into a chink of the demon's armor. It didn't show any sign up pain, but it did slow it down slightly.

"In the school!" Derek shouted to the twins. His brief moment of distraction allowed the Oni he was fighting to gain the upper hand. It slammed him down into the stairs, and he coughed as the wind was knocked out of him. He put his arm up to protect himself as he breathlessly shouted orders to the others. "You have to get to the box! Someone get the box!"

Loki turned towards where the cylindrical wooden box was left sitting on the floor. She kicked the Oni she was fighting back as hard as she could, and sprinted towards it. Just before she reached it, two more Oni appeared out of nowhere. They caught her by surprise, and a sword whistled through the air, the tip slicing a shallow cut across her stomach. She gasped in surprise, pressing a hand over her wound.

Anger flashed through her veins, and the adrenaline gave her enough energy to fight back. She grabbed the arm of the Oni who had cut her, cracking it over her shoulder and wrenching the socket out of place. She slung it back into the other demon, and the two monsters fell over one another and onto the ground.

"We can't do this!" She shouted to Derek. "We can't fight them." She was looking at the twins, both of whom were sporting wounds similar to her own. Ethan was pressing down on his upper arm. Her heart leaped into her throat as an Oni launched itself at the werewolf. To her surprise, Derek threw himself between the demon and Ethan, throwing the Oni to the ground.

To her greater surprise, before the Oni could make another move, an arrow sprouted out of its chest, and neon, golden light began to seep from the wound. For a second, forgetting Allison was dead, Loki turned to yell the huntresses' name. But it wasn't Allison. It was her father. And Isaac.

The wounded Oni pulled the arrow out of its chest, but clearly it had already done its damage. The demon exploded into black dust, disappearing as though it had never been there.

"What was that?" Ethan asked in shock, turning towards the seasoned hunter. He lowered his crossbow.

"Silver."

"Isaac!" Derek shouted to his former Beta. "The box! Get the triskele box to Scott!" The teenager nodded, sprinting forward and snatching up the box. He headed for the front doors of the school before any of the Oni could stop him.

As if to remind the Alpha that they were still in the middle of a battle, an Oni raised its sword at her. It would have cut her head off, but she managed to catch the blade with her forearm instead. She winced as the sharpened edge bore its way into her skin, but she grabbed the Oni, pulling the demon into a half-nelson and turning it towards Argent for a direct shot. There was only one more Oni left.

Argent took aim at it, but the demon was predicting the shot. It cut the arrow in two, sending it clattering to the ground in a harmless trajectory.

"Get the arrow!" Argent commanded. "It's the last one." Aiden was the closest. He ran for the broken arrow, sliding to avoid the Oni's blade as he snatched up the useful end. Loki watched, still pressing an arm over her stomach to staunch the flow of blood, as Aiden shoved the arrow deep into the Oni's chest, bloody mouth open in a snarl.

Aiden didn't move. When the Oni dissipated, Loki immediately saw why. The cobalt blue of his eyes flickered and fresh blood dripped down his chin. And sticking out of his stomach was the Oni's sword.

"Aiden!" she shrieked. As if from a distance, she heard Ethan yelling to his brother as well. But neither of them could move, and it was Derek who caught Aiden as he fell.

* * *

Derek cradled Aiden in his arms gently. He never would have thought that he'd watch this werewolf in his dying moments, this werewolf who'd helped kill two of his Betas, and feel any emotion. But he did.

Loki knelt next to Aiden, Ethan close beside her. He was choking up blood, gagging on the black fluid. Both of the twins were crying, but Loki felt like she couldn't cry. She couldn't speak or move. Ethan was shushing his brother gently, comforting him. She could see their lips moving, but she couldn't hear their words.

She was, however, faintly aware of Derek calling her name, and she turned to look at him. Her eyes were wide and glassy, for once so transparent of her pain that Derek found it difficult to make eye contact with her.

"You can save him," Derek whispered. The moment he said it, he wished he could take it back. Loki was injured from the fight, her wounds already sapping her strength. But it was too late. She blinked, and her eyes hardened again, sealing all her secretive emotions up in a second. She placed a hand on Aiden's forearm, gripping it closely, and bent her head into his shoulder.

The second Loki touched Aiden, she almost passed out. The pain was so intense, so agonizing, that she wanted to scream, she wanted to pull away. But she didn't.

Her lips thinned with stubbornness, and she began to pull Aiden's pain away, into her. She felt his body jerk against hers weakly in response, but his eyes were closing. Loki could feel in pain fading, but she wasn't sure if it was because her powers were working or if it was because he was dying. And then, suddenly, everything was dark.

* * *

It took Ethan a moment to realize what was happening. He and Aiden had long since learned that they couldn't take one another's pain, as they already felt it was their own and he hadn't heard Derek speak, so at first he assumed at Loki was just trying to make Aiden's final moments slightly more bearable. It was when she didn't stop when he realized what was happening. And he began to panic.

"Loki," he tried to tug her arm away, dread rising in him. "Loki, don't." It wasn't that he wanted Aiden to die – of course he wanted his brother alive. But in that terrifying moment, he was sure that he was about to lose both of them. He choked back a sob. "Loki, please."

She didn't listen to him – when had she ever? Her eyes were squeezed shut, lips parted as she whimpered in pain. Ethan wasn't sure if she was aware of the sounds she was making, but they were awful. He'd never heard Loki show that much physical pain.

Suddenly, she gasped throwing her head back. Her eyes flew open, shining brilliant crimson overtaking her hazel-y green irises. As Ethan watched, the dazzling red color faded to the cold blue of Loki's nightmares. Her hands slacked around Aiden's wrist, and she fell, her head cracking against the ground.

* * *

Lydia raced outside, a now familiar feeling of dread rising inside of her. She looked down the stairs, and the scene took her a moment to comprehend. Ethan was sitting back on his heels; his hands over his face and his shoulders slumped. Derek and Argent were kneeling next to him, talking to one another. And Loki and Aiden were sprawled across the ground, both covered in blood. Hysteria rose in Lydia.

"Scott!" She shrieked, racing down the stairs. "Scott!" The Alpha had already seen what was happening, and he was running after her. Scott fell to his knees next to Loki, reaching his arm out. At the last minute, he couldn't bring himself to touch her still body. Scott closed his eyes, wondering how his life had gotten to the point where he'd held two dying girls that he loved in his arms in as many days. He was so distraught that he didn't realize what Lydia quickly had – that her panic had been human, not supernatural.

* * *

Lydia placed her hand on Aiden's chest, tears streaming down her face.

"Don't touch them," Ethan whispered. He was rocking back and forth. Lydia stared at him for a moment, wanting to comfort him, but a sudden, slight movement against her hand pulled her attention back to the other twin. Aiden was breathing.

"He's – they're – alive!" Lydia gasped out, relief making her dizzy. Ethan took his hands away from his face, and raised his head. His eyes were dazed with the whirlwind of action that had just happened. His voice cracked with emotion when he spoke.

"I know."

* * *

When Loki awoke, the first thing she noticed was Ethan. He was asleep at the foot of the couch she was on, his chin leaning on his chest. His position didn't look the least bit comfortable, but he didn't even stir when Loki sat up. She reached out to him, but before her fingertips made contact with his arm, someone grabbed her wrist and pulled it back.

"Careful – I think we should let him rest." Loki rose so fast she barely registered the movement. She took two wobbly steps before her body caught up to her and her legs buckled. Aiden grabbed her around the waist, pulling her up and into a hug. Loki clung to him, gripping his jacket so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

"Aiden," she choked out. He shushed her, kissing her forehead and hugging her tightly to him.

"I know," he whispered back. He stroked her hair. "Thank you."

* * *

Her wolf eyes were blue now. She let them glow again, watching as the reflection in the mirror mimicked the action. This was no nightmare – this was real life. But, when Loki tore her eyes from her reflection and looked back at Aiden, who was slowly coaxing Ethan into a real bed, she knew without a doubt – it was worth it.

* * *

"Scott, Scott!" Stiles ran up to his best friend. The True Alpha turned to his best friend. The human caught his breath. "Scott, they're leaving. The twins and Loki – they're leaving." Scott blinked, and his mind caught up, registering what Stiles had said.

"What?" He gasped out. Stiles nodded rapidly.

"Lydia just told me – Aiden was saying goodbye to her." Scott shook his head slowly, heart thudding in his chest. He scanned the hallways desperately, and saw – yes! – Ethan walking out the doors. Scott slammed his locker shut and ran after the other werewolf.

* * *

Loki was leaning against Ethan's bike, her face tipped up towards the sun. She heard his footsteps and opened her eyes, grinning at him.

"Hey." He grinned back, and her eyes narrowed playfully. "You look weirdly happy for someone who just broke up with their boyfriend." Aiden came flouncing down the steps of the school towards the parking lot. His lips were turned down at the corners and his eyes shadowed. Loki pointed at him. "That's a more appropriate reaction." Aiden flipped her off and Loki laughed. So did Ethan.

"Danny knew." It took Loki a moment to realize what he was saying, but when she did, she laughed again.

"Well, how about that." Before she could say more, someone grabbed her arm. Scott. She turned towards him. His eyes were dark with hurt and thinly veiled anger.

"You're leaving?" Loki pressed her lips together. She glanced at the twins.

"Give me a minute," She requested, jogging away and calling for Scott to join her. He followed her silently, and once they were a short distance away, Loki paused and turned towards him. He opened his mouth and she reached up to press her hand over it.

"Don't talk. Let me." She removed her hand. "So, yes, the twins are leaving – "

"And you didn't say good-bye?" Scott snapped. Loki glared at him.

" _Listen_ to me. The _twins_ are leaving, Scott. I didn't say good-bye because I'm not intending to go."

 _Loki walked out of the bathroom in her bra, still toweling water droplets off her skin. She had two scars on her body now – one across her stomach and one on her forearm. They were barely a day old but they looked white with age. She was guessing she'd have them for life – a minor side effect of healing Aiden and losing her power while she was weakened. It was a small price to pay._

 _"We're leaving," Ethan said as she stepped into the kitchen. Loki paused, pulling her shirt on over her head. She poured herself a mug of coffee._

 _"I know," she replied. "I'll catch up." The twins exchanged a look._

 _"You're coming too," Aiden said firmly. Loki raised an eyebrow at him and he glared at her. "Loki, this is non-negotiable – "_

 _"You're right," Loki cut him off. Her jaw was set firmly with determination, and her eyes were hard and flinty. "It is. You two are leaving, because Aiden almost died and Beacon Hills isn't safe. I'm staying because I promised Scott I would." Her face and voice softened when she saw their expressions. "It's only until graduation. A year and a half. I'll catch up."_

Scott stared at Loki in utter shock. He had not expected this whatsoever. As he processed this change, Loki pulled away to say a last goodbye to her best friends. Scott and the rest of the pack gave the three former Alphas their distance.

Loki stepped away from the twins, and Scott walked up them. He wasn't exactly sure what to tell them, but he knew something needed to be said. Luckily, the twins understood his meaning through his bumbling words.

As he watched them drive away, Scott glanced back to Loki. She beckoned him over, and began to speak very quickly.

"Scott," she said. He looked at her and she bit her lip, unsure of how to proceed. "I – I'm sorry about this. I'm staying, but I don't know if it's a good idea if. You and I. Are – together. Anymore." Loki spit the words out clumsily, for once her speech not coming easy to her. Scott stared at her, but Loki couldn't meet his gaze. "I – I know this is sudden, and weird and unexpected. But with everything that has happened, I think the last thing that you need is a relationship with me. And now that I'm completely alone – I mean, you know what I mean – I think it would be better if I really was – well, alone." It was a bullshit reason, really. She stared at him. "I'm sorry." Scott nodded.

In a weird way, it was as though he expected this. So he was disappointed, yes, but not surprised. He found a dry, ironic humor in the situation, seeing as Loki had finally picked him over the twins, but not in the way he'd expected.

"Loki," he said, simply. When he kissed him, she responded eagerly, her lips moving against his softly one last time. Neither of them spoke beyond his whisper of her name, and neither of them said what they both wanted to say – _I love you._ But their silence spoke volumes.

* * *

 **yeahhhhhhh okayyy...sorry about all this damn cheese at the end lol. i really liked the way this played out in my head but it was a lot harder to write. i hope it's not terrible**

 **also i know, i know, i know, i know**

 **aiden** **died because it showed that the twins finally understood sacrifice and friendship and the dynamic of a scott's mentality and pack blah blah blah**

 **but i couldn't bring myself to kill aiden. i really couldn't. i love his character too much. sorry if u think it ruins the story or something**

 **or maybe no one cares lol**

 **anyways. see u soon for season 4 (i'm rly excited for this season, love it so much)**

 **please leave a review and tell me what u think! thank you!**

 **(also if i think i'm gonna start the side** **story thing soon. the first chapter will be a prequel to this story - when loki met the twins. idk when it will be up, but maybe look out for it and give a read?)**


	11. Dark Moon117

**ugh i suck sorry for the long wait.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf, just Loki.**

* * *

Loki was sitting at the bar, holding a cup of water. She smiled flirtatiously at a boy who was standing just a little too close to her to be seen as innocent. He grinned back, just as suggestively.

"Hey," he said, sliding closer to her still. He offered her a shot. "You here with someone?" Loki laughed, taking the shot of alcohol and throwing it back. The liquor burned her throat as it went down, but did nothing else for her.

"Not exactly," she responding, slamming the tiny glass down on the table. The boy smirked, offering her his hand. She accepted it, not so much as out of attraction to the boy but as a want to blend in, and allowed him to pull her onto the dance floor.

He wrapped his arm around her waist as they moved in time to the music. The boy was a good dancer, at least.

"My name's Lewis," he told her, shouting over the music. Loki ducked under his arm, and pulled him closer to her so they were face to face. She wrapped an arm around his neck so he was bent closer to her.

"Loki," she replied. But Lewis wasn't paying attention to her anymore. His eyes were focused over her head, wide with fright. As the word left her lips, something pressed against her back. A gun. Lewis backed away, holding his hands up, and Loki rolled her eyes. In one fluid movement, the werewolf cracked the hunter's wrist backwards. The man behind her cried out in pain, and she kicked him down, planting a boot on his chest. He groaned, eyes slipping shut as his head cracked against the hard floor.

"Loki!" she looked up, and saw Scott beckoning her over. She left Lewis there, gaping at the man on the ground in shock. She patted him on the chest as he passed him. She heard his breath go _oof_ as she did so, perhaps meaning that she'd hit him too hard.

"Thanks for the dance."

* * *

Loki took up the end, behind Scott, Kira, and Malia, the werecoyote. Their Alpha led the three girls down a hallway, looking around cautiously. Loki paused, a slight hiss gaining her attention. By the look on the faces of her companions, they'd heard it too. An opaque white gas was spilling out of the vent in front of them. As Scott moved closer to investigate, motioning for the others to stay put, more of it began to fill the room.

"Wolfsbane!" Loki shouted. The affect of the poisonous gas was instantaneous, and she fell to her knees, coughing. She could faintly hear Scott yelling for Kira, who the gas wouldn't affect, to leave the room.

"Someone who has only been an Alpha for a few months should be careful when facing a hunter of more than forty years." Araya was chastising Scott.

"All we want is Derek," the True Alpha wheezed. Araya shook her head, clicking her tongue in a patronizing manner.

"My _lobito…_ you're a long way from home." Loki was leaning against the wall, still gasping for breath. But something about the way Araya was talking caught her attention. The werewolf studied the woman intently. The woman wasn't outright lying, so her heartbeat wasn't what gave her away. But Loki was such a good liar that she knew when others were lying, too.

"You don't know where he is, either," she realized. Araya's face dropped into an angry scowl. She stepped towards Loki, brandishing her cattle-prod Taser. The huntress jabbed the weapon into Loki's skin, and the world went dark as the electricity crackled through her veins.

* * *

When Loki opened her eyes, she was lying on the dirty floor of an old restroom. It clearly hadn't been in use in years, and it didn't look like it had been cleaned since then, either. Scott helped her sit up, and she looked around. Her eyes fell on the locked door, and they shot open wider with panic.

"No, no," she muttered under her breath, pushing herself up. She slammed into the door, hitting it. Digging her fingers into the crack, she struggled to open it in vain. After a few minutes, she gave up, whacking the door with frustration. She groaned, putting her hands to her face.

"We've already looked for a way out," Kira told the other girl. "I think a lot of people have." Loki swallowed hard, taking a deep breath and nodding. She ran her fingers over the deep gouges in the wall, trying to calm her racing heartbeat. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." Her voice was clipped. "I just don't like being locked up." She spoke as calmly as she could, but her lips were still white with fear. Stiles stared at her incredulously.

"You kept Boyd and Cora in bank vault for months. _Months."_ Loki glared at the human.

"Wasn't my idea. Besides, I thought we were past this." Stiles held his hands up. Scott looked at Loki, eyes sad. It was times like this when Scott wished the twins hadn't left. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that they could have calmed Loki down now. Scott didn't even know what was happening, why she was reacting like this.

As he watched, however, Loki seemed to get a handle on herself with no help. She took a deep breath, rolling her shoulders back and closing her eyes. When she opened them, they had returned to their focused, hardened state, and were no longer panicked.

"So what are we doing?" She asked. "They have Lydia?" Scott nodded, but before he could say anything else, Malia jumped in.

"I say that whenever that door opens next, we take out whoever's in the way and run for it." Kira stared at the werecoyote in surprise.

"What about Lydia?" She asked. Malia stared back, looking unconcerned.

"What about her?"

"We're not leaving without her," Scott said. Malia shrugged and shook her head, clearly confused.

"Why not?" Stiles stepped up to his girlfriend, wrapping an arm around her and talking to her quietly.

"Because we don't leave without people, okay? Remember, we talked out this? The rules of the wild kingdom don't apply to friends." Malia nodded. Her eyebrows crinkled with confusion as she looked at the ground, seeming mildly abashed.

"Is that what you would do as a coyote?" Kira asked. "Leave her for dead?" Malia nodded, eyes wide earnest. It wasn't necessarily malignant thoughts that made her thoughts process this way, it was simply the pecking order of the wild.

"If she was weak and injured, yeah. If hunting had been bad that season, I'd eat her. _Then_ I'd leave." Stiles nodded, tapping his chin with his fingers rapidly.

"Hmm. Believe it or not, that's progress." Loki smirked, shaking her head.

"I like it," she said, amused and only half-sarcastic. "Familiar to me." Malia grinned at Loki, nodding her head agreement, and Loki laughed, smiling back. Scott shook his head.

"Alright, guys, we're not dead yet."

"Which means Araya wants something," Loki said. Scott turned towards her, nodding. "But if the Calavera's didn't take Derek, than that means they didn't take him from the loft."

"Maybe he left on his own," Stiles offered.

"Or maybe someone else got to him," Scott theorized. Loki was no longer paying attention. She was focused on the footsteps quickly approaching.

"Guys!" She said, just as the door was thrown open. Before any of them could make a move, the hunter in the lead brandished a Taser, shocking Scott. Loki snarled, flicking her claws out. The two hunters behind Severo dragged Scott out, and Severo grabbed Kira. Loki growled and Severo held out his cattle prod threateningly.

"Stay back, and your friends will be returned to you with time," he warned her. "Attack me, and I can't promise of their safety." Another growl rumbled in Loki's throat, but Kira shook her head at the other girl. Loki sniffed indignantly, nostrils flaring in irritation as she stepped back, allowing the hunter to leave with the Kitsune.

* * *

Loki leaned against the wall, her hearing focused on Scott's voice. She could hear what Araya was suggesting – that Kira shock Scott, or else Severo would shock Lydia. Araya wanted the name of the person who'd taken Derek, which meant that Scott was going to have to figure it out – fast.

"What can you hear?" Stiles asked, shattering her concentration. She grimaced, glaring at him pointedly.

" _Nothing,_ when you distract me," she snapped at him. Her eyes fell on Malia. "Now's a good time to practice for you," she said. Malia stared at her, mouth open. Loki rolled her eyes. "I'm just saying." She nodded at Stiles. "Help her. _Quietly."_ Closing her eyes again, Loki directed her hearing on Scott again. She could hear his groans of pain. She could hear him, between gasps for breath, assuring Kira that it was okay. Loki pressed her lips together, shaking her head.

"What's _happening_?" The question wasn't directed at her, it was for Malia, but Loki answered anyways.

"They're killing him," she whispered. Suddenly, Scott's screams died away and he muttered a name. She was so relieved that Scott was okay, that she didn't immediately remember what she was supposed to be doing. Luckily, Malia told the ever-impatient Stiles what the Alpha had said.

"That's impossible," the human said. "That can't be what he said." Loki opened her eyes.

"Why? Who's Kate?" Stiles shook his head.

"She's a hunter," he said. "An Argent."

* * *

"Elizabeth…" The sing-song whisper of her real name made Loki stop short. She grit her teeth, and turned around.

"What do you want, Araya?" the Beta werewolf snapped. Scott put a hand on her arm, but she brushed him away. The huntress clicked her tongue patronizingly.

"Now, now, Scott. This is personal, between Loki and me, no? I've had my words with you." The Alpha looked at Loki and she nodded at him. He left, reluctantly. Araya surveyed the girl in front of her. "You are no longer an Alpha."

"And yet you're still an over-dramatic bitch," Loki shot back. "What do you want?" Araya chuckled, and in one swift movement, had a blade at Loki's throat. The werewolf growled, her fangs curling over her bottom lip.

" _Lobito…_ you can no longer hide what I already know. Your eyes, _chiquita_ , they reflect the true you, no? You remember what I tell your mother, all those years ago?" Loki took a step back, her fangs retracting. "Good girl. The only reason I am letting you walk out of here with your head still attached to your body is because I believe that Scott McCall could be useful yet, hm? And you are important to that utility. So!" The elderly huntress stepped away. "Consider this one more warning, _sí_?" Loki stared at Araya, her eyes guarded as the woman walked away.

When Loki finally walked back to her friends, a motorcycle had pulled up right in front of the Jeep. The woman riding it took her helmet off, shaking her hair out. Recognition shocked Loki, and she raised her eyebrows in surprise. The only think different about the young woman's appearance were the thick scars that ran down her throat, courtesy of Deucalion. "Braeden," Scott said, sounding surprised.

"Who's Braeden?" Kira asked.

"A mercenary," Loki answered. She eyed Braeden warily, remembering the last encounter all-too-vividly. The encounter that had ended in Braeden's blood splattered across the wall in the locker room, partially due to her. Braeden gave Loki a onceover, a similar expression on her face.

"Loki," Braeden greeted her. There was a moment of tension, before Braeden shrugged, looking away. "I don't think either of us is one to hold grudges." Loki's shoulders relaxed slightly, understanding the woman's meaning. "And right now, I'm the only one who's going to take you to la Iglesia."

"The Church?" Lydia translated, looking skeptical.

"What's the Church?" Stiles asked. Braeden shrugged.

"It's not a place you'll find God," she answered ambiguously. She put her helmet back on. "Come on," she said, voice muffled. "We need to get going."

* * *

Loki sat in the back with the other girls. There was a surprising amount of room for four people – it wasn't exactly _comfortable_ , but they weren't as squished as she would have expected. After almost an hour of silent tension, Malia leaned forward, sighing.

"Okay. _I'll_ ask. Who is Kate Argent?" Kira raised her hand slightly.

"Um. I'd like to know, too." Loki was playing with her hair, winding a curl around her fingers and letting it spring away as she listened. Stiles shrugged, taking his eyes of the dust road briefly to glance at his girlfriend in the rearview mirror.

"Well, we were at her funeral," he said. "So I'd like to know how she got out of her casket that was buried six feet underground."

"She was never in it," Scott said. His eyes were far away.

"She was Allison's aunt," Lydia said. She rolled her eyes. "And a total sociopath." Loki's eyes fell on Scott at the mention of Allison, and she wasn't the only one. Kira's eyes were focused on the True Alpha in the front seat as well. Loki tensed as Scott's grief flowed over her, sharp as though Allison had just passed.

"You don't have to talk about it now if you don't want to," Kira told him gently.

"Um, yes he does," Malia said. Scott nodded, shaking his head as thought to dispel painful thoughts.

"She's right. You guys should know, you need to know." Stiles began to explain Kate Argent's history.

"Alright. Kate was the one who set the fire that killed most of Derek's family." Scott nodded.

"Some of them survived, like Cora, and Peter." Loki winced at the mention of Cora.

"A very _angry_ Peter," Lydia muttered.

"Yeah, he's the one who bit and turned me," Scott said.

"And the one who finally caught up to Kate, and killed her," Lydia finished.

"Yeah, and we saw her buried," Stiles said. Loki shook her head.

"No, you saw a casket buried," she corrected Stiles. She'd caught on already, mostly because she knew how the Calaveras worked. Scott nodded.

"She wasn't in it." Scott continued to explain how Peter had turned Kate by his claws. How the Calveras had locked her up, wanting her to kill herself before she changed, because she was a hunter. How she'd killed them in order to get out.

"So Kate's a werewolf, now," Kira asked. Scott shook his head.

"I don't know," he admitted. "You know, there's a saying. Sometimes the shape you take – "

" – reflects the person you are," Loki finished. Scott looked at her, and she shrugged. "Deucalion was prone to tangents." Lydia snorted.

"What kind of shape is a sociopathic bitch?" Stiles shrugged.

"Well, I mean, Loki's a werewolf…" The girl narrowed her eyes at him, making a face and Stiles laughed.

"Ha ha." Stiles was watching the former Alpha in the rearview mirror. Seeing his face, Loki rolled her eyes.

"Spit it out, Stiles."

"Just – you were a hunter, weren't you?" the human asked. "Why didn't the Calaveras come after you?" Loki shrugged.

"They actually did. But only my mom was from a family of hunters, and she had never completed her training. They grudgingly let me live, provided I kill no one." Loki chuckled darkly. "Araya pulled me aside just now to remind me of that. She's not going to kill me, not yet…but I don't know how much longer she'll be patient for." Before anyone could react to that, there was a loud _thud_ , and the Jeep swerved suddenly. Stiles' eyes widened, and he yanked the wheel in order to keep them from going off the road. As the Jeep came to a stuttering halt, Braeden circled back on her bike, jumping off of it.

"What happened?" She called. Stiles shook his head, examining the Jeep for damage.

"I don't know – it felt like we hit something."

"Scott, we need to get there by night," Braeden insisted. "It's too dangerous otherwise." Scott glanced at the sun, which was already sinking rapidly.

"Go," Stiles said.

"Not without you," Scott protested. Stiles leaned in closer towards his friend.

"Dude, someone needs to find Derek. We'll figure something out, we always do. Just go."

"I'll go with you," Loki offered.

"I can only take one person on my bike," Braeden reminded Loki. The Beta shrugged, stripping off her jacket, and starting to pull off her shirt. Everyone stared at her in surprise before she began to explain.

"I can run faster than a normal wolf when I'm fully shifted. I'll be able to keep up for the most part, even if I get there slightly after you."

"And you're stripping, why?" Stiles asked. Loki rolled her eyes.

"Braeden and Scott are gonna take my clothes so I won't have to be naked when I get there and shift back," she told him. She unbuttoned her shorts, and tossed the bundle of clothes at Scott, who looked shell-shocked. As though in a trance, he handed them to Braeden, who stored them in the compartment under the seat. The mercenary looked amused. Loki felt a pang of deep nostalgia for her old pack, who she'd never had to explain this to. Shaking her head to avoid that thought, she turned to Braeden. "I'm going to get a head start." It was the last thing she said before she shifted. She loped over to Braeden, stretching her body out for a long run. The mercenary pointed forwards.

"Go in that direction. We'll catch up before you have a chance to get lost." Loki dipped her head, and then took off. She wasn't running her fastest, because she need to be able to sustain the pace, but it was still pretty fast. Even so, it didn't take long for the hum of the motorcycle engine to reach her sensitive ears. And soon after that, the bike had caught up to her and passed her.

Loki was running fast enough that the motorcycle was never out of sight, although it always stayed far in front of her.

Even before the time Loki reached la Iglesia, her paws were burning and she was exhausted. Braeden and Scott were talking, overlooking the destroyed town and the still-standing, yet ancient church. She could hear Braeden explaining the town's history to Scott. Loki took the moment to rest. Braeden turned towards her.

"You know its history, don't you?" The wolf nodded. Braeden didn't look surprised. Scott was still staring at the church, a dazed look in his eyes.

"You think Derek and Kate are somewhere in there?" Scott asked, jutting her chin forward.

"I don't know," Braeden admitted cheerfully. "I've never gotten this far before." She turned back towards her motorcycle. With a weary whine, Loki got back to her feet, shaking out her fur coat. She took off again, following the motorcycle down the path to the church.

When they finally reached the church, the heat and the stone path had ripped cuts and blisters into Loki's paws. When she shifted back to human, she could feel them on the pads of her hands and feet.

"You're bleeding," Scott noticed. Loki was re-dressing herself, but she turned towards him when he spoke. She glanced down at her hands, and rubbed them together.

"I'm fine. They're already healing." Loki spoke the truth, and yet Scott continued to stare at her like a kicked puppy. Like it was somehow his fault. She smiled softly at him. "Scott, chill. I'm fine."

"Come on," Braeden called to the two werewolves. Scott and Loki jogged to catch up to her, and Scott had to force himself not to comment on Loki's wince as her raw feet rubbed against her shoes.

Scott held a flashlight, the bright beam illuminating the path of the three. Braeden paused to cock her gun, and Scott looked at her in alarm.

"What are you going to do to Kata if we find her?" Scott asked, as though the thought had just occurred to him.

"Bring her back to the Calaveras," Braeden said nonchalantly. "That's what they paid me for."

"And after that?" Loki asked, glancing at the shadows warily. Braeden shrugged.

"Not my problem."

"Don't you care?" Scott asked, sounding astounded. Braeden eyed him incredulously.

"Do you? She's a mass murderer."

"And you're a mercenary," Scott said. Braeden shrugged. She looked completely unashamed.

"A girl's got to eat."

"So if they paid you enough, you'd kill Kate," Loki said. Braeden stopped walking, and turned on the two werewolves. Her eyes were cool.

"If the money was good? I'd kill you." Scott's eyes widened in shock, but Loki wasn't particularly surprised. It wasn't like mercenaries were known for their morality. Braeden wasn't a terrible person, she was just good at her job.

Braeden led the two werewolves into the church. The building was littered with debris.

"You two catch Derek's scent?" the human asked, her voice echoing around the empty room. Loki fought back a shudder at the reverberation, which never failed to remind her of Eichen House.

"Already on it," Scott said.

"Something else too," Loki said. "Something…not human." Loki looked around. "This is going to go quicker if we split up," she said. "I'll go look around by myself." Scott grabbed her wrist as she turned to leave.

"You really think I'm letting you go around on your own?" There was a note of panic in his voice.

"Scott, I can take care of myself," she said. "Okay? I did it for years." Without waiting for him to argue, she pulled her wrist free and set off alone.

* * *

"Loki!" the yell of her name made Loki stop short and turn around. She raced towards the sound. It didn't take her long to reach Scott, but when she did, the stench made her cough. The smell of death rose, pervading her nostrils. "It's coming back! Loki!" The werewolf couldn't see the assailant, but she flipped forward instinctively, and a bone dagger embedded itself in the wall next to her, just barely nicking the skin on her hip.

Scott grabbed Loki, pulling her closer to him.

"Are you hurt?" He asked, frantically. She shook her head. Scott nodded, stepping in front of her. Braeden was yelling for both wolves to get behind her, but instead of listening, Scott roared, loudly. The sound caused the ancient church halls to crumble, caving in around them. Once the rumbling of rocks had settled, the church was eerily quiet.

"I think I scared it," Scott said. Braeden shook her head at him.

"I think you scared everything!" Instead of responding, Scott was studying the wall behind them.

"What is that?" Scott was shining the flashlight on the wall behind them. Engraved into it was an intricate design, and Loki walked over to inspect it more closely.

"Tezcatlipoca," Loki recognized, tracing her fingers over the design. "The nagual jaguar god."

"I think we found Derek." Braeden said. Scott pressed his ear against the wall, listening for any sign of life. He could hear a steady heartbeat through the stone.

"Stand back," he ordered. The two girls obeyed, and Scott began to punch the wall. Once he made a hole, all three of them began to pull away at the stone, which was old enough and crumbly enough that even Braeden's human strength could pull it away easily.

Once there was a hole big enough, they peered in. Loki's eyes widened with shock at what she saw. It was Derek, all right, the scent proved that…but still. It was hard to believe that this boy in front of them – probably younger than Loki herself, was Derek.

Braeden was the first to snap out of her surprise.

"We need to get him out," she said. Loki nodded, and she and Scott stepped forward, carefully pulling de-aged Derek out of the stone. By the time Braeden was leading the three werewolves out of the church, the Jeep and the others were there. They climbed out to meet their friends.

"Is that him?" Malia sounded confused. "Is that Derek?" Stiles nodded, jaw working as he surveyed the boy I front of him.

"Uh. Sort of."

* * *

Loki helped Scott lay Derek down on the metal examination tables in the veterinarian's office. The werewolf was asleep, and he looked strangely peaceful. And very young. Deaton surveyed the face of the boy, shaking his head in amazement and shock.

"Wow."

"Wow? Wow as in, 'I've seen this before and I know exactly what to do,' kind of wow?" Stiles asked. He somehow managed to sound both sarcastic and hopeful at the same time. "'Cause that's the kind of wow we're hoping for."

"I think you might be overestimating my abilities," Deaton replied. Lydia was holding the boy's hand, a look of concern on her face.

"He's cold," she remarked. Loki touched his arm gently. The Banshee was right. "Really cold."

"Do you think this is permanent?" Scott asked, sounding worried. Deaton didn't answer, but instead pried Derek's eyes open one by one and shone a flashlight in them.

"I'm not sure a medical diagnosis is even adequate," he replied. "This is well beyond my experience."

"What do we do with him?" Loki asked. Her eyes were trained on his face, and she didn't look up even as she spoke. He looked so innocent as he slept, almost vulnerable.

"Until he wakes up?" Deaton shrugged. "Probably not much. It might be best to leave him here with me. He'll be safe here."

"You mean from Kate," Stiles said. Deaton turned towards the other human. His eyes were strangely fierce.

"If she's alive and she is what you say she is, then she won't be able to walk past that gate."

"But why would she do this to him?" Loki asked, finally looking away from Derek's young face. Deaton shook his head, but he looked anxious.

"Knowing her, it's probably for a reason that won't be any good for anyone but her." Then, noticing the exhaustion on the faces of the teenagers, Deaton stepped into responsible adult mode. "Now, you guys should probably go home. He doesn't look to be in any danger. So maybe the rest of you should get some sleep? It is a school night," he reminded them gently. "And you all need to start taking care of your own lives again."

"At least one person should stay with you," Scott said. Lydia glanced down at Derek, who was gripping her hand tightly.

"I'll stay," she volunteered. "My grades are fine. Despite missing a few classes." Stiles shook his head immediately.

"I'm so not okay with this," he said. Scott looked apprehensive as well.

"I'll stay with her," Loki said. Her ex-boyfriend looked at her, eyebrows raised. She shrugged. "Being homeschooled means that my credits are good, so I'm only taking extra-credit courses this semester. Besides," she added, taking off her jacket and tossing it onto the chair behind her. "It's not like I'll get any sleep anyways." It was true. It had always been hard for her to sleep, and ever since the twins had left, Loki felt like she was suffocating in the penthouse by herself.

"Text us if anything happens," Scott insisted, looking from Loki to Lydia. Both girls nodded.

"Nope, still not okay with it," Stiles said. Scott grabbed his friend's arm and started physically dragging him out of the office. "Not going anywhere – all right, just 'cause you're stronger!"

* * *

Eventually, Lydia's eyes started to drop, and Loki quietly persuaded her to fall asleep in a chair next to the examination table. The Banshee had been sleeping for a few hours when Deaton began to survey Loki, who didn't look the least bit tired despite the tender-looking circles under her eyes, with clinical interest.

"Do you always sleep so little?" he asked her. His tone was light, conversational. Loki shrugged.

"I guess." As Deaton nodded, his lips parting to ask another question, she cut him off. "Not exactly in the mood for a discussion about my psyche, doc. No offense." The Druid laughed. Something caught Loki's attention. She turned her head.

"What is it?" he asked. Loki focused her hearing on Derek, on his heartbeat. It was thumping quickly, like he'd just finished a run, not like he was unconscious.

"His heartbeat," she said. Before she could explain further, Deaton was rushing over, placing a finger on Derek's wrist and looking down at the watch in his hand.

"How's he doing?" Lydia called, her voice thick with sleep. She had just woken up, probably due to the bright sun light that was streaming through the windows.

"His heart rate is alarmingly high," Deaton said in response. The teenager walked over, and touched Derek's arm.

"He's a lot warmer, now," she noticed, relief edging her voice.

"Lydia, Loki, I'm going to try something," Deaton said. "I want you to keep holding his hand if that's okay." Lydia nodded. Deaton picked up a scalpel, and, keeping a firm grip on Derek's arm, made a deep cut in the boy's forearm.

Even as he cut, blood bubbled at the surface of the wound. But before it could gush out, the cut healed, right before their eyes.

"Holy…" Loki muttered. "That healed really fast – unusually fast." Deaton nodded in grim agreement.

"What does it mean?" Lydia asked. Deaton simply shook his head. He wasn't sure.

"Let's try something else," he said. "Grab be a five millimeter syringe – top drawer." Lydia and Deaton both moved to collect what they needed, and Loki stepped closer to Derek. She watched as his eyes squeezed shut, and then relaxed, and a rush of relief went over her.

"Guys – " before she could utter the words 'he's waking up,' Derek was standing. His eyes were glowing blue, and his breathing was heavy.

"Derek!" Lydia and Deaton were both calling to him, and Loki could see immediately that it was overwhelming him. A stench rose in the room, sour and unforgiving – fear. Derek was afraid of them.

"Guys…" she said warningly, as Derek rose his hands over his ears, trying to muffle the sound. He lashed out, and Loki moved.

She sprang in front of Deaton and Lydia, shoving Derek backwards, away from the Lydia and Deaton. The young wolf stumbled, and turned around. He was out the door a second later.

As Loki raced after him, she just managed to call over her shoulder:

"Tell Scott I'm following him!"

* * *

Loki trialed Derek all the way through the woods, but she kept her distance. She didn't want to scare him, and it wasn't like it was hard for her to see his path. He was easy to track, not bothering to cover his steps or try and hide his scent. He came out into a clearing. There was construction equipment all around, but Derek kept walking towards the fence. He tore a hole in it and stepped through the fence.

Loki walked a little closer, cautiously. She was overwhelmed by his sudden influx of emotions. He was no longer just afraid; he was also angry and confused. She watched, pity rising in her as he turned in a circle, and finally knelt among the rubble. After a few moments where he remained still, Loki deemed it safe to approach him.

"Derek?" She called out, her voice soft and sweet. He turned his head slightly, and Loki knelt next to him. "Hey, buddy. My name's Loki."

"Where's my family?" Panic edged Derek's voice, which was considerably higher than the last time Loki had heard it. Loki debated lying versus telling the truth briefly, and decided to play it safe and be ambiguous either way.

"I'm not sure," she admitted. "I don't know happened here, but – hey, listen – I know one thing. Your sister, Cora and your uncle, Peter – they're okay." At least that was the truth, and Loki thought that it might offer him some comfort.

"And the rest of my family?" Derek insisted. "My mom?"

"I don't know," Loki said. "Why don't you come with me, and I'll help you figure it out, okay?" Derek's breath huffed, and he took another look around. Before Loki could insist that they leave, a sound caught her attention. A squad car was pulling up. Loki cursed softly.

"Excuse me, young man!" Loki was on the other side of Derek, and she was smaller than him, so the officers likely couldn't see her. As soon as she had heard the voice, however, relief flowed through Loki.

" _You're_ calling _him_ , 'young man?'" a snide voice teased the other deputy.

"Shut up, Hiagh," Jordan and his partner walked closer. A few more steps, and they'd be able to see Loki, too. "Sorry but you can't be here, and neither can – Loki?"

"Jor – Deputy Parrish," she corrected herself. She straightened up, tugging on Derek's sleeve so that he stood as well. She stepped slightly in front of him, and smiled charmingly at the two deputies. "I'm afraid there's been some kind of misunderstanding. We'll be going now." The other deputy snorted.

"What, you dumbasses never hear of no trespassing?" Loki's jaw tightened slightly, and Derek spoke up from behind her.

"This is my house," he said, quietly.

"No one's been here for years, kid, now get the hell out. Both of you."

"We're _leaving_ ," Loki said through clenched teeth. She shot Jordan a beseeching look.

"Haigh, calm down," he said. But the deputy was clearly hotheaded, and unwilling to be tranquilized.

"All right, let's go," he snapped, impatiently. He grabbed Derek and Loki's arm, hard enough to make Loki wince. Unlike Loki, who simply rolled her eyes in annoyance, Derek reacted badly.

He twisted out of Haigh's grip violent, bending the deputy's arm backwards.

"Hey, take it easy!" Jordan shouted.

"Derek, don't," Loki pleaded. The young werewolf hesitated, looking first at the dark-skinned girl in front of him to the Jordan. While he was distracted, Haigh pulled out his Taser and pressed it into Derek's side.

"Hey!" Loki shouted, stepping forward as Derek hit the ground, shouting in pain. Hiagh brandished the weapon at her, and Jordan seized her arm, pulling her backwards and closer to him. As soon as she was out of reach from the Taser, he dropped her arm. Loki bent down next to Derek. He was still conscious, but be was breathing heavily and looked subdued.

"Both of you are coming with us," Haigh told her aggressively. Loki glanced down at Derek and decided not to argue.

* * *

Jordan walked over to her from where he had been talking to Derek. She looked up at him. Loki looked up from her phone, closing out of her texts to Scott telling him the situation and where to come. She smiled.

"Hey, you know this kid?" Loki shrugged. She knew normal-Derek, but kid-Derek was a whole other story. Not that she could tell Jordan that.

"More or less." Jordan's lips pressed together, his now-familiar half-annoyed half-amused facial expression returning as it so often did when Loki refused to answer a question fully. She smiled innocently in response, and he shook his head, lips curving upwards with reluctant affection.

"Parrish, get over here," Haigh demanded. "I've run this kid's prints eight times, this is all that comes up." Loki edged herself over slightly and angled her head so she could see the screen. It was normal-Derek's face.

"Derek Hale?" Parrish repeated, staring at the screen. Loki winced.

"Did you say Hale?" the Sherriff asked, walking up behind the desk. He glanced at the screen, and then over at young-Derek. His face slackened, and he looked back at the screen, and then moved even closer, kneeling down and staring Derek in the face. When the Sherriff finally looked over at Loki, his eyes were wide with shock. Loki was honestly concerned that they were going to give him a stroke one of these days, and judging by the look on his face, that day might be today.

Scott and Stiles chose that moment to arrive.

* * *

Loki closed the door to the Sherriff's office behind her. Stilinski was sitting at his desk, looking at the three teens.

"I want you to be honest with me," he said. "Absolutely, and completely honest." Stiles nodded. "Have you been time-traveling?" Stiles shook his head, staring at his dad in shock.

"Hang on, what?" Loki bit her lip to contain her amusement.

"Because if time-traveling is real, you know what? I'm done. I'm out. You're going to be driving me to Eichen House!" Goosebumps trailed up Loki's spine at the mention of the place.

"We found him like that!" Scott insisted.

"Where? Swimming in the Fountain of Youth?"

"No," Stiles responded, as though that was ridiculous. "We found him buried in a tomb of wolfsbane in an Aztec temple in Mexico underneath a church in the middle of a town that was destroyed by an earthquake." Loki grimaced.

"You told me you were _camping!"_

"Yeah, we were," Stiles insisted. "It was – it was in Mexico." The Sherriff shook his head, raising a finger as he shook his head wildly. Loki deemed it a good time to intervene.

"Derek's been aged backwards," she explained. "He doesn't remember anything. We just need to talk to him." The Sherriff sat down, deflated.

"Well, look where Loki talking to him got him." Loki frowned.

"Okay, well three things. One, that sounded like a strangely, obnoxious Stiles-like thing to say. Two, if it hadn't been for your hotheaded asshole of a deputy, we wouldn't be here!" The Sherriff sighed, burying his face in his hands. "And three, we _need_ to talk to him," Loki continued. "Derek didn't notice my following him, didn't notice the changes of the town since he thinks he's been here last, and _cannot_ , I repeat, _cannot_ control himself. Which means that young Derek is _stupid_ Derek, and he's going to get himself killed without our help." She folded her arms, and the Sherriff shrugged in resignation and defeat.

"Go ahead."

* * *

"Why would I go anywhere with you?" Derek asked Scott.

"There was an accident," the Alpha told him. "You lost some memory, but we can help you get it back."

"How much memory?" Derek demanded.

"A lot," Loki said gently. His eyes flicked over to her, and she held his gaze. "But don't worry. And you can trust us." Scott bent down in front of Derek, and showed him his crimson eyes.

"You're an Alpha," Derek observed. His expression relaxed slightly before tightening again. "Okay, who are you? And who's he? Who are you?" Stiles looked up from where he was rooting through papers on his father's desk.

"Oh, we're the guys keeping you out of jail," Stiles responded.

"Let us help you," Scott pleaded. Derek was shaking his head.

"No," he whispered. Loki sighed. She bent forward so that she and Derek were face to face, forcing him to look her in the eye.

"Derek," she murmured. "Listen to me." Derek nodded slightly. "You got angry back there. You almost hurt those two cops, you understand?" Derek nodded. He looked chagrined.

"I'm fine unless it's a full moon," he insisted. Scott frowned.

"You still have trouble on the full moon?" Scott asked.

"Scott, please," Loki said. He fell silent, and Derek looked back at her. Loki put her hand on his arm gently. "Derek, you're going to be fine. You can trust me. You can trust Scott. Stiles is annoying, but you can trust him." Stiles squawked indignantly from behind her. She squeezed his arm comfortingly. Her green eyes were huge. "Please." Derek dropped his gaze, looking at his lap.

"Where's my family?" He asked again. Loki nodded.

"There was a fire at your house," she said, as gently as possible. He looked up again, eyes watery. Before Loki could utter the next words that she knew would break his heart, Scott broke in.

"But don't worry. They're fine, they just had to move out of Beacon Hills. We're going to take you to them." Derek nodded, blinking back stray tears. He exhaled deeply.

"Okay."

* * *

"I shouldn't have done that," Scott panicked. "I lied my ass off."

"Your ass is fine," Stiles reassured his friend. "You saved him a ton of unnecessary pain. We figure this out in a day or two, Derek gets back to normal and everyone's happy. Except for Derek, who's never happy." Scott shook his head, unconvinced.

"It's just another person that we're lying to," Scott said. "I just always feel like it's better when we tell the truth."

"How did you date me, again?" Loki muttered under her breath. Stiles laughed, and Scott looked mildly abashed, his lips twitching with amusement.

"All right," he said. "Stiles, take him to my house and don't let him out of your sight." His friend frowned.

"And where are you going?"

"I'm going to talk to the guy we should have talked to before." Loki groaned. She could guess whom Scott meant.

"Uh," Stiles said. "I hate that guy!" Scott ignored him.

"And Loki," he turned to look at her. "Do me a favor?"

"Anything."

"Go home. Get some rest." When Loki started to protest, Scott grabbed her hand. "Loki, please? You were up all last night, I know because Deaton told me. So go home, get some sleep. I'll call you if anything important happens." When Loki still stared at him, annoyed, he guilted her. "You said anything."

"Fine," Loki acquiesced. "But promise that you'll call me." Scott nodded.

"Promise."

* * *

 **these episodes were hard for some reason, so sorry if this chapter is crap.**

 **please please leave a review and let me know what you think!**

"Promise."


	12. MutedThe Benefactor

**Yikes it's been a while.**

 **Guest: Thank you!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf, just Loki.**

* * *

Loki's black motorcycle rumbled as she pulled into her normal parking space. She pulled her helmet off, shaking her hair out before she bunched her curls into a loose bun on her head. The werewolf rubbed the bridge of her nose, pinching the arch as though it would alleviate her exhaustion. Despite her promise to Scott, she hadn't slept much that night. Or the nights in the week that had followed. She'd kept herself busy with schoolwork and extra credit assignments, hoping that her one-week cram session would be enough to keep her grades high if she missed school every now and then, as she knew she would.

And even when she hadn't been studying, the apartment was driving her crazy. It was too quiet, too big, too empty without the twins and the rest of her pack. She missed them so much that it hurt.

Heaving a sigh, Loki slung her backpack over her shoulder and headed into school. She dropped her bag down in the empty seat behind Lydia, and pulled out her math textbook and notebook. A familiar voice caught her attention, and she looked up.

"I hate math," Malia was saying as she was herded into the classroom by her boyfriend. "It's pointless."

"No, school is important, and math is essential," Stiles argued, steering Malia into the seat next to Lydia. He sat down next to Loki.

"For what?" Malia demanded. Stiles shrugged, pulling his stuff out of his bag as he attempted to appease his disgruntled girlfriend.

"Knowing how much to tip at restaurants." Lydia turned around, and gave Stiles a deadpan, unimpressed look. The Banshee then turned towards Malia.

"And less important things like medicine, economics, engineering…" She shot Stiles another pointed look, and Loki laughed.

" _Tipping_ ," Stiles asserted, winking at Loki. The werewolf snorted, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her face. She winced as the bell rang, signaling the start of class. No matter how long she'd been in school, the bells still bothered her ears, especially when she wasn't paying attention.

"Alright," Ms. Fleming brought the class to attention at the front of the room. "Volunteers to the board. Lydia, Diego, Malia." The werecoyote stiffened. She stared at the teacher indignantly.

"Um. I didn't volunteer."

"You did now," Ms. Fleming said briskly. She nodded towards the chalkboard. "To the board." Stiles was grinning, giving his girlfriend two thumbs up, but the smile slid off his face when Malia turned around to look at him. She was growling under her breath, just loud enough for Loki and Stiles to hear. Lydia was already at the front of the room.

Malia shoved her chair back and stomped to the front of the room. She picked up a piece of chalk, writing 'x =' on the board before pausing. She stood there, motionless, and Lydia glanced over. Loki could hear Malia's rising heartbeat, and she tensed behind her desk, ready to usher the girl out of the room if she lost control.

A phone buzzed, and Loki turned her head. Stiles was watching Malia carefully, and Loki hissed his name. He looked at her.

" _Stiles_. Phone," she whispered. He blinked, and reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone and glancing down at the screen. His eyebrows rose, and he blinked rapidly as he read the message. "What is it?" She asked, sliding over in her seat and angling her body so Ms. Fleming wouldn't see that Stiles was on his phone in class.

The human tipped the screen towards her so she could read the text. It was a notification of an article from a news app, and the sinister headline read: 'Triple Homicide, Developing…'

Loki exhaled slowly, and shook her head.

It was always something in this town, wasn't it?

* * *

Loki ditched her bike around the corner of the Walcott's house. The Walcotts were the family that had been killed last night. One of them, the younger son, had survived and was in the hospital. Even though Loki knew that the cause of death was very un-supernatural like, something about the deaths still bothered her. Besides, she'd spent so many years with Deucalion that she knew that there was almost always more than meets the eye with investigations like this. In her hand she clutched a piece of paper.

Loki rapped on the window of the cop car twice, smirking when Jordan jumped. He turned towards her, and seeing whom it was, rolled his eyes. He turned back to the photos of the crime scene. Loki tugged on the car handle, but it was locked. She scowled playfully at Jordan, and he relented. But not in the way Loki expected.

Instead of letting her in, Jordan opened the car door and slid out of the vehicle, turning towards her. His eyebrows were arched in exasperation, even as a smile pulled at his lips at the presence of the girl.

"Shouldn't you be at school?" He asked. Loki opened her mouth the respond, and he waved her off. "Wait, don't answer that, because I know. You're never where you should be." Loki cleared her throat and held up the piece of paper.

" _Actually_ ," she said pointedly. "I'm doing an independent study. I'm writing a paper on law enforcement and how it's evolved throughout time for extra credit and part of that entitles me to shadow an officer at Beacon County Sherriff's Department. My teacher, principal, and the Sherriff have already approved this. I asked if I could shadow you, and Stilinski told me to come here." Loki crossed her arms over her chest in satisfaction at the shell-shocked look on Jordan's face. He struggled to recover.

"What – what about your parents?" The smug expression on Loki's face flickered for a half a second, and she shrugged.

"They're comfortable with it, clearly," she said. She then leaned forward, tugging Jordan towards her by his jacket. "So what do you say? Can I shadow you?" Her voice was a low purr, dripping with gentle conviction. Jordan squeezed his eyes shut, struggling to focus.

"You're in high school." The words rasped in his throat, a mantra that he repeated consistently around Loki.

"I'll be nineteen in June," she reminded him. She arched a delicate brow. "How old are you, Deputy?" At this point, Loki wasn't trying to come onto him. She respected him enough to back off when he asked, she just liked to watch him squirm. So Jordan held her gaze.

"Old enough for _this_ to be a bad idea," he said, motioning towards her. She laughed as she pulled back further, letting go of his lapels. "And," Jordan added, pointing at the paper in her hand. "Young enough for _that_ to be a bad idea." Loki rolled her eyes.

"Whatever you say – " she broke of, tensing.

"What is it?" Jordan asked. Loki's eyes were focused beyond his shoulder, on the house. Jordan turned around, and his eyes widened when he saw a figure flit by the glass door. He put his hand on his sidearm, pulling it out and holding it in front of him.

"Stay here," he warned Loki. The young deputy approached the house slowly, pushing the door open with a slight squeak. He raised his voice. "Beacon Count Sherriff's Department! This is a crime scene, show yourself!" The person in the house turned around at the sound of the voice, a haze lifting off of her. She turned the corner abruptly, surprising the young man. He recognized the girl, and lowered his gun, his shoulders relaxing.

"Lydia!" Loki's voice sounded from behind Jordan, and he turned around in exasperation.

"I told you to stay at the car!"

"So? I never agreed." Loki passed the deputy, grabbing her friend's wrist gently. "Are you okay?" Lydia nodded slowly. She looked confused.

"Please don't tell me you have an independent study project too," Jordan said from behind the two girls. Lydia stared at Loki, raising an eyebrow. Loki smirked back.

"You got the independent study you were talking about at _lunch_ approved in four hours?" Loki shrugged, a cocky expression plastered on her face. "That's impressive even for you." And then, turning to the Deputy: "I would try to explain it, but I've never gotten a satisfactory explanation myself."

"Just an unusual habit of showing up at places where people have been brutally murdered?" Lydia shrugged.

"Loki usually shows up at those places too," the redhead said, off-handedly. The werewolf grinned, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What can I say? I'm curious."

"I'm aware," Jordan replied dryly. "Loki's clearly never heard the expression 'curiosity killed the cat.'"

"Curiosity may have killed the cat," Loki said airily as she cast her eyes around the house, looking for anything suspicious. "But satisfaction brought it back." Jordan scoffed from behind her and Loki's lips twitched at his irritation.

"Lydia shows up at these places before the news becomes public information – sometimes before the cops even know about it." Both girls turned towards Jordan expectantly, waiting for his conclusion as to why this happened. "Maybe she's psychic." Loki and Lydia exchanged an incredulous look.

"Don't tell me you believe all that," Lydia said, turning around and observing the empty house. There were blood stains on the carpet under their feet.

"I'd like to say I don't believe in anything," the deputy replied. "But I like to keep an open mind." Lydia was no longer paying attention, instead surveying the wooden molding on the wall in front of her. "But if you're looking for dead bodies, I think you're a little late." Instead of responding, Lydia moved forward. Her hands were shaking. Jordan reached out to her. "Lydia –"

"Wait," Loki said, grabbing his arm and pulling her back. "Don't distract her." She watching her friend in rapt attention, as Lydia pressed her hand against the wall, leaning her weight against it.

There was a faint click, and the secret door opened, cold condensation spilling out into the living room. Jordan's eyes were huge with shock, and he glanced at Loki, mouth open. She didn't look particularly surprised at Lydia's discovery, but she did appear apprehensive. After a moment of surprise, he snapped out of it, pulling out his flashlight and gun. He ducked into the tunnel, the two teenagers following closely behind.

The hallway turned off into a large room, one that looked like a walk-in fridge. Hanging from the ceiling were large bags, and although the cold kept whatever was in the bags from rotting, the smell of death was unbearable. Loki coughed, eyes watering at the stench.

"I think it's a game locker," Jordan said. He sounded confused.

"What, like for venison?" Loki asked, incredulously. She rubbed her hands together, her fingers already starting to feel numb. Jordan nodded, and a funny feeling suddenly tickled up Loki's spine – a sort of trepidation, a warning of what she knew was coming. One of Deucalion's old stories…

"Hunting's legal in some parts of the state, but…" Jordan continued. Loki's ears were ringing, and she stumbled forward, towards one of the bags. "Loki!" Without responding, Loki swallowed hard, carefully unzipping the bag nearest to her.

"What is it?" Lydia whispered, sounding like she didn't really want to know. Loki pressed her lips together, surveying the long-dead body of the woman in front of her. She closed her eyes.

" _Not_ venison."

* * *

As the three stood in shock for a moment, Jordan gently guided Loki away from the body bag. She seemed to be in shock, but when Jordan touched her wrist, she snapped out of her state.

"Shit!" Loki whirled around, running back towards the tunnel they came through. She ran through the living room, ignoring Jordan and Lydia's cries of her name as she slid into the kitchen. She looked around wildly, praying for something, _anything_ to destroy her theory.

There was nothing on the counter top – not a loaf of bread or a bowl of fruit. There was a toaster – unplugged – and salt and peppershakers, which Loki promptly turned upside down. Empty. All for show.

Loki yanked open drawers and cupboards, seeing nothing – no flour or sugar, no cutlery or plates or glasses.

"Loki, what are you doing?" Lydia sounded terrified, but Jordan wasn't there. Probably calling for backup and surveying the scene in the locker with more precision in order to give a coherent report. Ignoring her friend, Loki lunged for the refrigerator across the room. She yanked the doors open desperately, only to find –

Nothing. The shelves were bare, and the fridge was dark. Loki touched one of the metal ledges, and it was warm – room temperature. Like the toaster, the family had never even plugged it in.

And why should they? Why bother to waste electricity on that when you don't eat food. When you only eat…

Loki's mouth was bitter as she spoke.

"We need to call Scott. Now."

* * *

When Loki finally arrived at the hospital, Sean Walcott was already dead. The murderer had caught up to him. But not before the teenager had killed and eaten a deputy. Now, she stood on the roof of the building, watching as cops photographed the boy's bloody body. The Sherriff approached her and Jordan, acknowledging the werewolf with a nod before addressing his deputy.

"Let's get everybody off this roof," he said. "And see if we can stall the ME for five minutes. I've got an expert of my own coming in to take a look." Jordan stared at his boss in surprise.

"You have an expert on teenage cannibal?"

"Just – five minutes, Parrish." The young man sighed, nodding. He called to the other deputies on the roof before beckoning to Loki, but the Sherriff cut him off. "I need a word with Loki. She'll be down in a minute." Jordan nodded and he led the others of the roof, the door clicking shut behind them.

Faint footsteps caught Loki's attention, and she turned to see Derek standing over the body. She glanced back at the Sherriff, realizing quickly what he really wanted.

"Guessing you don't really want a word with me?" She asked, jumping up on the raised part of the roof and kneeling next to Sean's prone form.

"I was hoping you'd have one for me," Stilinski replied. "But we need to be quick about this. Scott said that he called himself a – win…win-something."

"Wen _digo,"_ Loki supplied. She glanced to Derek. "Cannibalistic shape-shifters." Derek nodded.

"But I haven't heard of them living in Beacon Hills for a long time. Must have been well-hidden." Derek looked around, as though something else had caught his attention. He breathed in deeply, trying to catch a scent. "How many people did Scott say were up here?"

"Just Sean and the axe-murderer who apparently has no mouth," the Sherriff said. "Either of you happen to know anything about that?" Derek nudged Loki, drawing her attention to bloody marks on the roof. It wasn't Scott or Sean's blood, and it was highly doubtful it was the axe-murderer's.

"There was someone else," Derek said.

"Yeah, another young male," Loki added. She curled her lip. "I can smell his fear." She looked up, making eye contact with the Sheriff. He looked concerned, and her next words didn't help. "And his blood."

* * *

The next day, Loki met her friends in the parking lot, in between two school buses. It was a relatively private place to talk, seeing as most people were in class, and those who weren't generally didn't hang out in the parking lot. As Scott filled the rest of them in on what had happened last night – how he'd bit a freshman, the one she and Derek and smelled on the roof – Malia was the first to speak.

"I'm not sharing my basement," she said obstinately, as usual jumping to the conclusion that affected her directly. Loki rolled her eyes at the were-coyotes single-mindedness.

"Actually, it's _my_ basement," Lydia said coolly. "And my mom noticed how much you tore it up last time." Malia scowled, looking slightly offended.

"All right, she's still learning," Stiles defended his girlfriend as he draped an arm over her shoulder, rubbing her back. Malia relaxed slightly, leaning into Stiles' touch.

"And anyways, we're going to use the boathouse for Liam. It has support beams that we can chain him to," Scott added.

"Well, if no one else will address the gaping hole in this plan," Loki said, drawing everyone's attention to the dark-skinned girl. She raised an eyebrow at them. "How the hell are we getting him to the boathouse if he doesn't trust us?"

"Well, I say if it keeps him from murdering someone," Stiles began. "We just chloroform the little bastard and throw him in the lake." Loki shrugged, considering.

"I'm in," Malia stated, as Loki expected. Malia had the same violent urges that Loki was used to, having grown up with the twins, especially Aiden. Scott shook his head, looking exasperated.

"Okay, we are not killing or kidnapping him," the Alpha insisted.

"Then let's be smarter," Lydia insisted, flicking her red hair over her shoulder. She paused for a minute, thinking, and then continued. "We tell him there's a party and invite him." Scott nodded, but Stiles scoffed.

"Sorry, you're gonna ask out a freshman?" Lydia laughed, shaking her head.

"Nope. I was thinking we use the person who's used to tricks like this." A silence fell over the group as everyone's eyes turned to Loki. The werewolf had been slumped against the side of the bus, but at this, she straightened up. Her eyes bugged out as she stared at her friends in utter disbelief.

"No way! Are you _kidding_ me?"

"You _do_ have...experience with it," Scott murmured gently. But he looked uncomfortable as well, probably remembering the last time she'd been a honey trap was on him, and how that relationship had ended up progressing. Loki's face scrunched up.

"He's _fifteen_ ," she moaned. "That's _weird_."

"Oh, come on," Stile said encouragingly. "It's not like you'll actually be doing anything." Loki glared first at the human, and then at Lydia.

"Fine," she griped, slumping against the bus again. "But I need a car."

* * *

Loki spotted Liam exiting a classroom with his friend. She quickly dodged around another group of high school students before slowing her pace again. She touched him gently on the shoulder, and when he turned around, she offered him a winning smile.

"Liam, right?" The blonde nodded, his eyes wide as he stared at Loki. She smiled back encouragingly. "I'm Loki. I saw you playing yesterday – is your foot okay?" She mustered up as much concern as she could, over-acting. Liam didn't answer, just continued to stare at the girl in front of him. Loki fought the urge to roll her eyes as Liam's friend nudged him, bringing the freshman back down to earth.

"Uh –" the blonde started, cheeks flushing. "Uh. Yeah. I'm, uh. I'm fine." He elbowed his friend away. "Mason, go." Rolling his eyes, Mason turned around, leaving Loki and Liam alone at the side of the hallway. The human seemed mildly bemused as he left.

"That's good," Loki murmured flirtatiously. She reached up slightly to put her hand on his chest. _Ugh,_ she thought _. I hate this._ "After all, you're _such_ a good player. It would be a shame if you got injured before the team was even made." Liam's lips twisted up at the sickeningly sweet compliment, eating her words up. "I hear you're even a shoo-in for captain?" _Sorry, Scott._ Liam shrugged.

"I – I guess, yeah." Loki smiled again. She pursed her lips into a thoughtful pout, pulling Liam closer to her. His breath caught in his throat, as she leaned up, so that their faces were only inches apart.

"Would…you be at all interested in doing something tonight?" Loki asked suggestively. Liam nodded rapidly. "Great! There's this party…I'll pick you up at nine, okay?" Without leaving him a chance to protest, Loki swept away, disappearing down the hallway.

Liam stared after the junior girl, mouth slightly open. A slow grin spread across his face.

* * *

True to her word, Loki pulled up outside Liam's house at nine. She glanced nervously at the moon in the sky as Liam ducked into her – Lydia's – car. He probably wouldn't start shifting until moon high, which wouldn't happen for another few hours. But it was hard to tell with young werewolves.

As Loki whipped the car through a road in the woods, it was clear Liam was feeling the effects of the full moon. He was sweating slightly, and breathing hard. He kept wincing, like something was hurting him. Loki grimaced inwardly. She wanted to get to the boathouse as fast as possible, but she was already going way too fast.

"Where – uh – where's this party at?" Liam bit out.

"Lydia Martin's lakehouse," Loki replied, glancing at her young companion in the mirror. "Well, her late grandmother's," Loki amended. Liam nodded, but his breathing had become more labored. He pressed his fingers to his ears.

"Can you turn the music down?" he practically shouted. Loki cast a curious glance at him, then down to the car speaker. The music was playing extremely quietly. Still, she took into account his new sensitivity to sound, and turned the music off completely. Liam visibly relaxed, only to jump again when his phone buzzed. Holding it in front of his face, he peered down at the screen. Biting his lip, he glanced at Loki. "Who'd you say was coming to this party again?"

"Oh, everyone will be there," Loki replied quickly. She didn't want to come off as more of a creepy flirt than she already had. Liam would see soon enough that there weren't that many people there, and by that time, he would know why.

Loki threw another nervous glance at the moon, and then at Liam. He was now panting, a hard scowl etched onto his face as his hand gripped the edge of his seat. Loki sighed, pressing her foot on the gas harder, and watched the speedometer creep up to seventy miles per hour.

* * *

As Loki pulled the car up in front of the lake house, Liam glanced around suspiciously. There were only two cars and one motorcycle in the driveway, and the house was silent and dark looking. It didn't look like there was any sort of party happening around the immediate area.

"Where is everyone?" he asked, confused. Loki grabbed his arm, gently ushering him inside.

"Don't worry, they'll be here soon," she replied smoothly. "I told Lydia I'd get here a little early to help get things set up. Sorry, forgot to mention that earlier." Liam grunted suspiciously, but allowed her to pull him inside the house. As soon as Liam crossed the threshold of the house, Loki the smile dropped of her face and she slammed the door behind her, leaning against it. She braced herself slightly, concerned that Liam would try to fight his way out once he knew what was going on. The young Beta stared at the group of Loki's friends gathered in the darkened entry way and then back at Loki.

"What the hell is this?" He snapped, his face contorted into an ugly glare.

"It's for your own good," she replied, pushing him forward slightly. He crossed his arms over his chest tightly, scowling at the group of juniors in front of him.

"Think of it like an intervention," Stiles added. "You have a problem, Liam." Scott stepped forward, focusing on his Beta.

"And we're the only ones who can help."

* * *

As Scott broke the news to Liam about what was happening to him and about what the others were, he looked a combination of incredulous and annoyed. Finally, when Scott stopped talking, he nodded, looking unimpressed.

"Okay, let me get this straight…" Liam pointed at Scott and Loki. "Werewolf. Werewolf." He looked at Malia. "Were-coyote. Banshee." Lydia nodded, lips quirking up at the corner. Liam pointed to Kira. "Fox?"

"Kitsune," she corrected. She smiled at him gently. "But fox works."

"What are you?" Liam asked Stiles. Liam looked unconvinced that any of what they had said had been true, but he seemed to be playing along for the time being. The human rubbed the back of his neck.

"Uh, for a little while I was possessed by an evil spirit. It was very evil." Liam nodded, raising his eyebrows.

"What are you now?" Stiles shook his head, like he didn't understand the question.

"Better? Um…" Liam nodded again, and his gaze fell on the chains in the duffle bag. His jaw clenched, and Loki heard his heartbeat quicken slightly.

"Are those for me?"

"No," Malia responded. Her eyes glowed blue. "They're for me." That was clearly the wrong thing to do, because Liam's heartbeat picked up rapidly, and he backed away. Loki wrinkled her nose, the scent of his terror suddenly clogging her nostrils.

"How'd you do that?" He whispered.

"You'll learn," Scott said. "But first you have to get through the full moon." Liam shook his head, stepping backwards again, stumbling slightly. Loki touched his shoulder as though to steady him and he jerked away.

"The _moon's_ already _out,"_ he snapped, turning to leave. Loki grabbed onto both of his wrists, bracing herself as he pushed back against her. His eyes widened when he felt her strength.

"And you're starting to feel something," Loki told him. It wasn't a question, it was a statement that she knew was true.

"I _feel_ like I'm surrounded by a bunch of psychotic nut jobs," Liam growled. It was a human growl, not a wolf one. "You guys are out of your fucking minds. I don't know how you did that eye-thing, and I don't care." His voice rose into an angry shout. "I'm walking out that door right now, and if any of you try to stop me, I swear to – " Liam yelled out suddenly, clasping a hand to his ears and falling to his knees. He screamed again, pressing his hands harder into the sides of his head. Scott knelt beside Liam.

"Liam? Liam, what's wrong?" Panic edged the Alpha's tone as he stared at his distressed Beta.

"You don't hear that?" the blonde rasped out from where he was writhing on the floor. Loki moved to the window, looking out through the blinds. She bit her lip when she saw all the cars, all the people getting out of them.

"Shit," she muttered, running a hand through her hair.

"You said it was a party!" Liam defended himself. "I told my friend Mason."

"Yeah, yup. Shit. That's my bad," Loki responded, nodding her head as she observed the damage outside.

"Who'd Mason invite?" Stiles asked.

"Everyone," Loki muttered. She winced again, rubbing the back of neck. "Dammit." Liam groaned on the ground, and a scraping noise caught her attention. His claws were out, and they were gouging into the wooden slats of the floor, no doubt making marks.

"The floors!" Lydia gasped. "Get him off the floors." She started towards him, but Liam threw his head up, roaring. His eyes were golden. Lydia backed away quickly, wary of his sharp claws and uncontrolled anger.

"We need to get him to the boathouse!" Scott said. Kira and the Alpha pulled Liam off the ground, supporting and restraining him at the same time. They pulled him out of the room, towards the back door. At the same time, Malia fell forward, gasping. She braced herself against the table in front of her.

"Stiles," she hissed. He looked down at her, and she looked back, growling. Her eyes were shining again, fangs out. Sweat beaded across her forehead.

"Okay, yeah. Basement, now." He grabbed Malia in one hand and picked up the chains in the other. Lydia glanced back at him in incredulous shock.

"What am I supposed to do with the hordes of people gathering outside the door?" Lydia demanded. Stiles looked back, sighing.

"Lydia, who throws the best parties in Beacon Hills?"

"What?" She squawked. She threw her hands out. "Me! Obviously."

"Okay," Loki said, seeing what Stiles was getting at. "Then let's throw a party." She grabbed Lydia's hand, pulling her towards the door as she waved Stiles and Malia away. Loki glanced over her shoulder quickly to make sure the were-coyote was out of sight before the door opened. Once she knew they were, Loki threw the door open. Mason was in front of the crowd, and he looked slightly confused and apprehensive, probably by how long it had taken them to open the door.

"Hey," he greeted the two girls. "Are we in the right place?"

"For the party?" His friend next to him added. Lydia forced a smile onto her face.

"Absolutely," she gritted out. The crowd of people – all freshmen, Loki realized – cheered, and began to funnel into the house. Lydia sighed, rolling her eyes. "Come on." The Banshee stalked off towards the kitchen, leaving Loki alone in the entry way. The curly-haired girl sighed, brushing a hand across her face as she followed her friend, closing the door behind her.

Loki swerved around freshmen as she made her way to the kitchen. Someone had turned on the lights and put some music on. Even though Loki had long since mastered control over the full moon, her senses were still extra-sensitive, and she winced as someone turned the music up even louder.

When Loki reached the kitchen, she found Lydia facing off against a delivery guy with a keg of beer. The blonde freshman from earlier that night was there too, sniffing at a half-empty bottle of wine with interest.

"Who put that there?" Lydia demanded, picking up a wine glass that was balancing precariously on a MacBook laptop. "That laptop is two thousand dollars." She muttered. Lydia snatched the bottle of wine out of the freshman's hand. "And that bottle of wine is four hundred." Loki sighed, turning towards the salesman.

"How much?" She asked, politely as possible. He pulled a receipt out of his pocket and handed it to her. She studied it and then glanced back up at him. "What's the extra hundred dollars?" She snapped, folding her arms.

"I call that the 'Yes, you do look twenty-one to me,' surcharge." He responded, winking at the werewolf. She rolled her eyes, glancing at Lydia, who snatched the receipt out of her hand and dropped it on the table. The redhead looked out of the kitchen, frowning as she saw Mason walk up the stairs to the second floor.

"Let me get you some cash," she said, rushing out of the kitchen. She sounded distracted, all of her annoyance gone. Loki stared after her friend.

"Uh, I opened the wine," the freshman said, pulling his wallet out. "I should probably pay for the keg." The salesman smirked, letting the keg fall to the ground as he pocketed the money. Loki raised her eyebrows, surprised at the kid's generosity. He glanced at her, smiling. "Garret," he said, offering her his hand. She eyed him, a little confused, but shook it nonetheless.

"Loki." A smile stretched across his face at that, and Loki pulled back, unnerved. She wasn't sure why exactly, but something about the kid bothered her. And the name Garret…seemed oddly familiar, but she couldn't place it. "I'm gonna see where Lydia went."

* * *

Loki headed upstairs, looking around. She couldn't hear Lydia anywhere, which was odd. Looking around a corner, she called her friends name softly. Someone grabbed her shoulder, and Loki jumped.

"My god," she hissed, relaxing when she realized it was just Mason. "What the hell?" He pulled back, looking a little surprised at her reaction.

"Sorry," he apologized. "Uh, Lydia's in there." He pointed down the hall to a room, and Loki stared at in confusion. The door was closed, but despite that and the music, she should still have been able to hear them inside. Straining her hearing, Loki focused for any sign of sound coming from the door. Nothing. "She spilled some wine on the carpet, and she's kind of upset. I told her I'd get some club soda or something." Loki nodded, distractedly.

"Okay, thanks." Loki walked down the hall, placing her hand on the doorknob. Before she could even twist it, the door flew open from the other side, and Loki jumped back. Lydia was there, her eyes wide. She had clearly been crying, her mascara was smudged and her nose was red, but now she looked focused. The redhead grabbed her friend's hand, pulling Loki into the room.

"You can't hear anything outside," Lydia said, closing the door. Sure enough, the music stopped.

"I couldn't hear you from outside either," Loki added.

"Soundproof?" Lydia muttered, dropping Loki's wrist and walking around the room. Loki stayed where she was, not wanting to distract her friend. Lydia's eyes fell on the record player on the opposite side of the room. As if in a trance – and she probably was – Lydia drifted over to the record, and turned it on. Loki heard nothing but the empty scratching of the disc, but Lydia was perfectly still, her head tipped like she was trying to understand something.

"Lydia?" Loki whispered. She didn't want to break the Banshee's focus. "What do you hear?" The teenager didn't answer for a while, and Loki thought that maybe she hadn't heard. But after a few moments had passed, Lydia responded.

"The key," she said. She turned to Loki, eyes bright and feverish. "The key to break the code."

* * *

Loki leaned over the redheads shoulder as Lydia pulled the code onto the screen of her laptop. Her fingers flew over the keyboard as the code downloaded. Finally, it beeped, and a small box opened up to type in. Lydia's fingers hovered over the keyboard for just a moment, and then she typed seven letters and hit enter.

 **ALLISON.**

Loki shook her head in disbelief, watching the results tumble onto the screen. A list of names, each with a number next to them appeared. The family of wendigos, the Walcotts, was at the top, with the number two hundred fifty listed by each name. Loki's eyes traveled down the list, and she saw hers, in between Lydia and Scott's. But it didn't say Loki. It said her real name, Elizabeth Carter, and the number listed beside it was twenty-three.

"What is it?" Loki asked, unnerved.

"It's a list of all the supernaturals in Beacon Hills," Lydia replied. "It's a deadpool." Loki glanced back at the computer screen, a chill running down her spine.

"And we're all on it."

* * *

 **uh yeah. so that's that chapter.**

 **guys, please, please, please leave a review. i don't want to beg but they honestly inspire me to write so much. even just one or two words, any feedback whatsoever is incredibly helpful. i love to hear what you guys think. so please? review?**

 **thank you!**


	13. IEDOrphaned

**Sorry this took so long, thank you for your patience.**

 **To Phoenix Crest, lokidoki9, paulavara140, and Merrick Whitlock:** **Thank you all so much! I'm so glad you guys are enjoying the story, and that you like Loki!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf.**

* * *

" _Loki, come on. Just leave and come join us in London. This is insane."_ Loki rolled her eyes as she leaned against the stair railing at Lydia's lakehouse. Lydia was currently in the room with the record player, trying to figure out the other cipher keys, and Malia and Kira were with her. Aiden had called Loki, and she had stepped out of the room to talk to him and his brother as to not distract Lydia.

"Aiden, chill out, okay? I'm going to be fine. And I'm staying here." Aiden snorted on the other end of the phone line.

" _Lo, there are literally dozens of people out there who would kill you for free as long as they know where you are. Now they're getting twenty-three million dollars for it? Who's going to hold back from that offer?"_

"Aiden," she said again. "Listen to me. I'm not leaving. I can take care of myself. And," she said, looking up the stairs. Kira and Malia had exited the room, guiding Lydia out between them. Lydia looked dazed, but not in the supernatural-Banshee way, more-so in an exhausted/frustrated-human way. "I got to go. Say hi to Ethan for me." Loki hung up, not giving her friend a chance to respond.

"Everything okay?" Kira asked, sounding concerned. Loki nodded, turning her phone off and putting it in her pocket.

"Yeah. The twins are just…worried."

* * *

The next day, Loki sat in Economics class with Stiles and Scott. As Coach lectured the students on economic disparity, using public and private schools as an example, Stiles sorted through pictures of the recent crime scenes. He seemed particularly interested in the close up picture of Carrie's chest. The stab wounds were deep slashes, and around them was a curious mark – a hexagonal imprint.

As the lacrosse Coach moved down the isle of desks, he continued to plainly complain about the lack of good equipment the Beacon Hills lacrosse team had as an example of economic disparity. When he saw the pictures spread out on Stiles' desk, he paused, and then suddenly banged the lacrosse stick he was carrying down on the edge of his desk. Stiles jumped, dropping the photo he was holding.

"You know, Stilinski," Coach said as he knelt down by Stiles' desk. He looked at the pictures, wincing. "If I could grade you on how profoundly you disturb me, you'd be an A plus student."

"Thanks, Coach," Stiles said. It was hard to tell if he was joking or not. The Coach grunted, banging his stick against the desk again.

"Put those pictures away." The teenager began to shuffle the photos up into a neat pile when he froze. As Coach Finstock turned to leave, Stiles suddenly grabbed onto the end of his lacrosse stick. "Stilinski! What the hell?" Ignoring the coach's outcry, Stiles stared at the butt of the lacrosse stick intently. He pulled off the rubber stopper and held up one of the photos to compare. "What the hell is wrong with you?" The Coach snapped, yanking the stick away. "Actually, don't answer that."

As the older man walked away, Loki and Scott turned towards Stiles expectantly. He looked up at them, eyes wide and bright.

"It's a lacrosse player," he hissed. Loki exhaled, realizing what this meant.

"The killer's on the team," Scott said.

"And you guys have a game tonight," Loki muttered, rubbing her eyes. "Fucking perfect."

* * *

As soon as the bell rang for lunch, Loki ran towards the locker rooms. She glanced up and down the hallway to make sure no one was watching, and then slipped inside the men's locker room. Stiles, Scott and Kira were already there, and they called to her from Coach's office.

"We're checking all the sticks," Scott said, poking his head out of the room. Loki nodded, entering the office and joining them in pulling the rubber butts off of the sticks to check inside the shaft. All of them were empty.

After about fifteen minutes of frantic searching, Scott threw down the lacrosse stick in his hands in disgust.

"This is pointless," he said. "Most of the team plays with their own gear." Loki too dropped the stick she was holding, looking up at Scott.

"Then why don't we try to, I don't know, stop the _game?"_ Scott shook his head, adamant.

"The game's the best way to catch him red-handed."

"But what if he's red-handed because his hands are covered with the blood of the person he just stabbed to death?" Stiles pointed out. "Which, by the way, could be either of you guys." Stiles pointed at Scott and Kira. "And I bet Loki's name is somewhere on the other two lists, and she's probably worth – "

"I was on the first one," Loki cut Stiles off. He stared at her, mouth open. She smirked at him. "My name's not _actually_ Loki. It's Elizabeth – Elizabeth Carter." Loki crossed her arms over her chest. "But I don't tell people that. So whoever made these lists knows a hell of a lot more about me than I'm comfortable with."

"The killer could also be targeting Liam," Scott whispered. "We don't have the whole list, he could be on it."

"We don't know _anything_ about that list," Stiles said. "We don't know how it's made, how it's updated…I mean, who's been out taking a supernatural census, anyway?" Kira was staring at the ground. She looked confused, and with her dark hair pulled back into two braids, very young and innocent.

"How do they even know about me?" She wondered aloud.

"They know about everyone," Scott answered his girlfriend. Stiles pressed his lips together, sighing.

"I think Loki's right," Stiles said. "We should stop the game." Loki blinked, and then faked surprise, cupping a hand around her ear.

"I'm sorry, is Sitles _agreeing_ with me? That's how you know this is serious." He rolled his eyes at her, and Loki grinned, before quickly sobering. "But this is. Serious, I mean." Scott shook his head slowly, turning towards his friends.

"I'm not afraid," he said. Kira stepped toward Scott, a similar set in her jaw and a shine in her eyes.

"Neither am I," she agreed. Stiles stared at both of them like they were insane, and Loki rubbed the back of her neck. She wasn't quite sure what to do in a situation like this – when she'd been in her old pack, there wouldn't have even been a discussion. They would have left.

Not that the Alphas were cowards, they were just _way_ more inclined to save themselves than they were to save others. The exact opposite of Scott.

"Well, I'm terrified!" Stiles burst out. "And I'm not even _on_ the list. Guys," he said, slamming his hands down on the table. "These are professional killers, this is their _profession._ And one of them has a thermal cut wire that cuts heads off." Stiles voice dropped down lower as he waved his hands wildly, trying to gesticulate his point. "Who knows what else they have?" Stiles added, lowering his hands.

* * *

"Wolfsbane?" Garret asked his girlfriend incredulously, studying the tube of yellow powder Violet was brandishing. The girl shot him a look, carefully dumping the contents of the test tube into a small beaker with a little water in it. "I thought wolfsbane was purple."

"Not this species," Violet corrected, swishing the mixture back and forth as it fizzed and thickened. "Which is very rare. And very _expensive_." She emphasized the last word, looking at Garret pointedly. He raised an eyebrow.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, defensively. "'Don't screw up?'" Violet narrowed her eyes back at him.

"Don't _miss_ ," she corrected. Garret rolled his eyes, smirking. "Okay, all you have to do is nick him. It'll work fast." She walked around the corner of the table so that she was standing right next to Garret. "Even," she continued, giving him a look. "On an Alpha." Garret sighed, shaking his head and looking away.

"We're gonna do this again?" He asked. Violet scowled, slamming the beaker down on the lab table, making the mixture slosh violently.

"I'm just saying, I don't get why we're going after a Beta when there's an Alpha on the field." Garret leaned in closer to Violet, looking her directly in the eye.

"Because an entire _pack_ of Alphas went after McCall and he was the one left standing," Garret hissed. "And speaking of that pack, one of Deucalion's fallen minions will be in the stands. _She_ should be our next target. Before someone else gets to her." Violet inhaled slowly.

"It's a lot of money," she murmured.

"So is the Beta," Garret insisted. Violet sighed in defeat, picking up the wolfsbane mixture again. Garret twisted his lacrosse stick, making the blade pop out of the end. Both young assassins watched, looking almost hypnotized, as the yellow liquid dripped over the point of the blade.

A smirk twisted its way onto Garret's face.

* * *

Loki was standing in the breezeway of the school, walking to her next class, when a bus came rolling into the parking lot. The words 'Devenford Prep' were emblazoned in green across the side. She didn't think much of it at first, but hesitated when she saw Liam storming across the parking lot.

"Brett!" he shouted, his voice raspy with anger. Loki bit her lip, walking closer towards the young werewolf, in case he should do something stupid. Mason followed his friend, looking nervous as the blonde stormed up to the tall boy stepping off the bus.

" _I just wanted to say,"_ Loki heard Liam say. His voice was low, his breathing heavy. She watched his shoulders shudder like he was trying to control himself, and to Loki's great surprise, the new Beta stuck his hand out. " _Have a good game."_ Loki's own shoulders relaxed, and she glanced to Scott and Stiles, who were hovering nearby. They looked equally as surprised.

Brett glanced from Liam's hand back to his face, like he was waiting for some kind of punch line. Or, quite possibly, an actual punch to be thrown. The brown haired boy glanced back at his friends, all of whom looked like they were trying to stifle laughter – not that it worked.

After a moment of shocked silence, the group of boys from the other high school all burst out laughing, and Liam dropped his outstretched hand, scowling down at the ground.

 _"That's cute, Liam,"_ Loki heard Brett mock. _"Is that what they told you to say in Anger Management? Apologize, and everything's fine?"_ Liam's shoulders started to heave again, and his hands clenched into fists. Brett's voice lowered, less scornful and more threatening. _"You demolished Coach's car."_

" _I paid for it,"_ Liam insisted, voice low.

" _Yeah, you're gonna pay for it,"_ Brett replied. " _We're going to break you in half out there. And it's going to be_ all your fault." The pungent smell of blood hit Loki's nose, and her focus zeroed in on Liam's hands. Sure enough, the thick red liquid was dripping into between his tightly clenched fingers.

Loki and Scott rushed towards Liam, pulling him back. Stiles stepped in front of them, smiling at Brett jovially.

"Hey! What's going on, prep students?" the human asked, glancing back at the three werewolves nervously. "Welcome to our little public high school. How are you doing?" Stiles offered his hand to Brett, who now looked less incredulous and more confused, but still didn't move to shake his hand. "Stiles," the teenager introduced himself. "That's a firm handshake you got there. We're very excited for the scrimmage tonight, but let's keep it clean, okay? No rough stuff out there. All right, see you on the field." He turned back towards his friends. "Go."

Brett's eyes fell on Loki as she walked away with the two boys, and he frowned. Something was familiar about her.

* * *

It took all three of them to hold Liam under the shower as he roared, fangs out and eyes glowing. He wrapped a hand around Loki's and Stiles's wrist, pushing them back to relieve himself from the spray of water. He was quiet for a moment, panting.

"You calm yet?" Stiles yelled. As if in response, Liam roared again, and Loki planted her feet, shoving him back under the cold water. He shook his head wildly and suddenly relaxed, no longer fighting against the other three.

"Okay, okay!" Liam fought his way out of the cold water, and slid down the wall, his damp hair slicked across his face.

"That car you smashed? I thought you said it was your teacher's," Scott told his Beta. Liam glanced at the ground.

"He was also my Coach," he admitted. His breathing was still labored, but from exhaustion, not anger. "He benched me for entire season." Loki arched an eyebrow. Liam was an amazing player, what the hell would it take for his coach to bench him?

"I got a couple red cards," Liam muttered, and Loki realized that she'd spoken out loud.

"Just a couple?" Stiles asked sarcastically from a few feet away. Liam pressed his lips together, glared at the ground. His chemo-signals were strong, and right now they betrayed his nervousness and his unwillingness to speak. Loki sighed, and she squatted down so that she was eye-level with the younger werewolf.

"You gotta be honest with us," she told him gently. He looked up at her, eyes huge. "What else happened?"

"Nothing!" he insisted, stubbornly. His heartbeat quickened at the lie, and he shot a look at the other teenagers, quickly seeing that they didn't believe. Liam sighed. "I got kicked out of school," he acquiesced. "They sent me to a psychologist for an evaluation."

"What did they call it?" Scott asked, also bending down to get closer to Liam. He shrugged, looking uncomfortable.

"Intermittent Explosive Disorder," he muttered. Stiles's attention peaked at that.

"I.E.D?" He asked. "You're _literally_ an I.E.D. That's great," he said, sarcastically. He turned towards Scott. " _Great_. You gave superpowers to a walking time bomb." He shot his best friend a sarcastic thumbs-up and a wink, and Scott shook his head, looking away.

"Did they give you anything for it?" Loki pressed. Liam shrugged again.

"Risperdol," he said. "It's an anti-psychotic."

"Oh, this just gets better," Stiles said, shaking his head in disbelief. As if to prove his point, Liam continued.

"But I don't take it."

"Obviously!"

"I can't play lacrosse on it," Liam explained. "It makes me too tired." Scott nodded. He'd been mostly silent, just listening and absorbing.

"Okay," he said, mostly to himself. He raised his voice. "I think you should bail out of the game. Tell Coach your leg is still hurting." Liam shook his head.

"No, no!" He scrambled to his feet, his wet shoes squeaking against the ground. "I can do this! Especially if you're there," Liam added, looking at Scott hopefully. Stiles shook his head, covering his face with his hands.

"But Liam, it's not just about the game," Scott explained, sounding tired. "We think whoever killed Demarco might be on our team." Liam shook his head, looking confused.

"Who'd Demarco?" he asked.

"The one who brought the beer to the party?" Stiles said. "You know, the one who got beheaded?" Stiles made a slacking motion across his throat as he spoke, and Loki shoved him.

"We think whoever ordered the keg might have killed Demarco," Scott explained. Loki looked up sharply, and an odd expression crossed Liam's face. Fear, sadness, and realization all at once.

"You never told me that," she said. Scott glanced at her.

"Does it matter?" Before Loki could open her mouth to explain, that yes, it did matter, Scott was focused on his Beta again.

"Liam? What's the matter, do you know something?" Slowly, the freshman nodded, raising his head.

"I don't know who ordered the keg, but I do know who paid for it." Liam glanced over to Loki, and she nodded grimly.

"Garret." Stiles stared at her, mouth hanging open.

"What, you knew this?" She nodded. "Why the _hell_ didn't you say anything again?" Loki glared back.

"You guys never told me!"

"It was common sense!" Stiles protested.

"Guys!" Scott broke in, halting their scuffle like a referee's whistle. "Now is really not the time."

* * *

Loki slammed her locker shut, turning her phone on. She had three missed calls from Aiden, seven from Ethan, and more texts from both of them than she wanted to count. Rolling her eyes, Loki turned and headed out to the field. As she texted the twins, trying to placate them, she wasn't paying attention to where she was walking. One of her shoulders slammed into someone.

Loki stumbled slightly, turning her head to look at the person she'd bumped into. It was the boy from earlier - Brett.

"Sorry," he said, sounding sincere. Loki shook her head.

"No problem. I should have been watching, anyways." He was staring at her, and Loki lifted her chin defensively. "What?"

"Nothing," he said, quickly. "Just…have we met before? Besides the parking lot, I mean." Loki pressed her lips together, that one line enough to make her suspicious. Even though she agreed, something about the boy was familiar to her.

"Uh, don't think so," she said.

"You just look familiar," he pressed, and Loki shook her head. Her phone buzzed again, and she rolled her eyes, glancing down at the screen. But it wasn't from one of the twins, it was from Lydia. Loki scanned the screen, frowning. "You okay?" Brett asked. Loki looked up. She pointed down the hall.

"Fine," she said breezily. "And, you know what? I just have one of those faces," she responded casually. "I got to go. Good luck tonight."

* * *

Loki pushed through the doors to the Sherriff's department, looking around. She couldn't see Lydia, but she spotted Jordan, and rushed over to him.

"Hey," she said. He smiled when he saw her.

"Hi," he replied. He pointed to the Sherriff's office. "Lydia's in there. Come on." He led her into the office, where Loki found Malia, Lydia, and the Sherriff standing across from an mildly familiar girl sitting on the couch. Loki frowned, confused, and the girl turned to look at her.

That's when it hit her. Loki took a step back, staring at the other Banshee on the couch, memories of her time in Eichen rushing back. The girl smiled at Loki.

"Hi, Loki," Meredith said. Loki swallowed hard, ignoring the looks of everyone in the room.

"Hi, Mer," she replied, voice hoarse. Her throat felt tight and dry. She cleared it. "Um, what are you doing here?"

"What are _you_ doing here?" Meredith corrected. The Banshee's eyes flicked to the redhead across from her. "I'm here to help Lydia. She called me." Loki swallowed again, jiggling her leg up and down. Lydia frowned, and her lips parted, but Loki held up her hand, halting the other Banshee's question before she could utter it.

"I guess I'm here to help you help Lydia," the werewolf responded, kneeling down. She thought for a minute. "When you're in trouble," she began, and then paused. She wasn't exactly sure how to continue, shaken though she was. To her relief, Jordan stepped forward.

"Meredith," he said gently. "Is there someone you reach out to when you're in trouble? Someone you call?" The girl glanced at her lap, playing with the hem of her shirt.

"It depends," she said. "Different people for different things." Loki nodded, seeing what Jordan was getting at.

"Is there someone that can help us?" she asked. "Someone we can call?" Meredith thought for a minute, and she nodded, a smile spreading across her face. "Can you tell us the number?"

"Yes," Meredith said, frowning in concentration. Loki leaned back onto her heels, shooting Jordan a grateful look. Lydia carefully pried her phone from Meredith's hands in anticipation. "It's…3…7…4…2...2." Meredith nodded, smiling in satisfaction.

"Mer?" Malia asked after the other girl was silent for a few minutes. "We need a few more numbers." Meredith shook her head.

"No," she said resolutely. "That's the number."

"Phone numbers are _ten_ digits," the were-coyote reminded her. Meredith shook her head again, adamant.

"Meredith!" Lydia shouted, clearly losing her patience. "Phone numbers always have ten digits."

"That's the number," the curly haired girl repeated repeated.

"Meredith!" Loki grabbed Lydia's arm, trying to calm the other girl down. The Sherriff stepped forward.

"I think that's the best we're going to get," he told her. Lydia shook her head, her hands clenched into fists of rage at her side.

"No," she protested. "There has to be more." Tugging away from Stilinski, she rounded on the other Banshee again. "What's the rest of it, Meredith? Hm?" Meredith shook her head. "Just concentrate!" Lydia shouted.

Meredith's breath was staring to come very fast, and her eyes were shining with tears. She shook her head rapidly.

"But that's – that's the number…that's the number." Lydia turned away, pressing her hand to her face, and Stilinski stepped towards Meredith, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay, sweetheart," he tried to soothe the girl. She shot to her feet, shaking her head.

"That's the number!"

* * *

Jordan and Stilinski left the office with Meredith, leaving the three girls alone. Loki flopped down on the sofa that the Banshee had just vacated, sighing.

"How do you know Meredith?" Malia asked, sitting on the edge of the desk. Loki shrugged.

"I get around," she answered ambiguously.

"So you where at Eichen." Malia filled in the blanks. Loki didn't answer, just fixed Malia with a cool look. The were-coyote crumpled the piece of paper with the numbers on it, tossing it away in disgust. Then her eyes fell on the keypad of the phone. "Guys!" Malia exclaimed. Lydia looked up from where she was seated at the desk, rubbing her temples, and Loki pushed herself up from the couch to walk over. "What if it's like algebra?" Malia asked.

"What do you mean?" Lydia said. Malia flipped the phone around so that the keypad was facing the other two girls.

"What if the numbers are actually letters?" Lydia's eyes widened, and she grabbed a pen and a pad of paper, scribbling down the letters that corresponded with the numbers.

C. Lydia was quiet for a minute, and then her eyes widened.

"Oh, god," she muttered. She drew a small circle around every few letters, and then wrote the word out at the bottom. She pushed it towards the others to let them see. Loki stared down at the name, exhaling as guilt crashed down on her.

" _Erica."_

* * *

Loki leaned over Lydia's shoulder as they reviewed the rest of the list. Loki was focused on two names in particular: one, Brett Talbot, the lacrosse player from the other team. The reason he'd looked familiar was because she'd met him before, years ago. And the other…

The door to the Sherriff's office flew open, and Lydia snapped the screen of the computer down. Loki winced. _Subtle,_ she thought.

"Sorry," Jordan apologized. "I was just seeing if you guys were okay. You need a ride home?" he asked, glancing at all of them, but focusing on Loki. "I didn't see your bike," he said. Loki shook her head.

"It's in the shop," she replied. It was true. She'd run to school that morning. "Lydia can drive me, though." Jordan nodded, closing the door, and Lydia opened the screen again.

The last name on the list was Jordan Parrish. And he was worth five million dollars.

* * *

Lydia didn't drive Loki home, but instead to the animal clinic. When Loki got to the treatment room, it was clear that Brett was in bad shape. He was flailing about on the table, and yellow foam spewed from his mouth. As she watched, Brett broke free of Derek and Stiles's grip, and he launched himself off the table, running right toward Loki.

Without even thinking, she was launching her fist towards his face. Her clenched hand collided with his temple, and he dropped to the ground limply. She knelt next to him.

"He's not breathing," she said, looking up at Deaton. The doctor bent down, holding the scalpel carefully. He pressed down, creating a vertical cut along the werewolf's sternum. Brett gasped, his breath coming out in panted sobs as yellow gas floated into the air and dissipated. Loki leaned away, careful not to inhale any.

"Is he okay?" Stiles asked, leaning down in concern.

"He's going to be alright," Deaton responded. "But I think he'll probably be out for a while.

"Do you guys hear that?" Stiles said suddenly, leaning down. Brett was gasping something. "I think he's saying something." Loki strained her ears, and was just able to make out his words. She repeated them.

"The sun, the moon, the truth," she said. Her eyes locked with Deaton's.

"Three things cannot long be hidden," He responded, watching as Loki dropped her eyes. "It's Buddhist," he said, looking from Loki to Derek. Loki knew the exact moment when Derek realized what Loki had assumed.

" _Satomi_."

* * *

Loki let herself into the penthouse, tossing the keys onto the dining room table and kicking off her shoes. Derek had taken Brett back to his loft, and Loki had made plans to meet the two of them the next day to find Satomi and her pack and warn them.

She dropped her bag on the ground and headed for her room. As usual, when she passed each empty room a pang hit her in the chest. The constant reminder that she was alone in the big apartment was still painful. Loki flopped down onto her bed, not bothering to change out of her clothes, and closed her eyes.

At around three in the morning, a sound made its way into Loki's sub-consciousness, and her eyes blinked open. She sat up quickly, looking around. Every muscle in her body was tensed as she cast her eyes around the darkened room.

As quietly as she could, Loki reached for her phone, dialing a number. The line clicked, signaling the call had gone through, and she began to speak.

* * *

Jordan Parrish was asleep in his apartment when his phone rang. He groaned, rolling over and squinting at the clock. It was almost three in the morning. Reaching out and groping blindly for his phone, he held it up to his ear.

"Hello?" he muttered groggily, swiping a hand across his face.

"Jordan," Loki whispered. Her voice was low, like she was trying to not be overheard, and there was a certain amount of fear in her tone that made him sit up straight, suddenly wide awake. "I – " before she could get another word out, she cried out in pain, and the line buzzed.

"Loki?" Jordan asked, knowing it was fruitless. Sure enough, there was no response. He swore loudly, and swung his legs out of bed.

* * *

Loki dropped the phone. Or, more accurately, tried to drop it. As it was, the arrow that her attacker had shot at her had pierced a hole in her hand and the phone, not only subsequently destroying it, but also threading her hand and phone along the shaft of the weapon. Dark liquid oozed out around the shaft embedded in her hand.

Her momentary distraction as she was blinded by pain proved to be enough for the seasoned hunter, who sprang at the young werewolf, knocking her to the ground of the hallway and placing a boot on her ribcage.

"Elizabeth…" Loki grimaced up at the woman.

"Jay," the werewolf rasped out. "As much of pleasure it is to see you again, I wish you'd called." The huntress sneered.

"Always have something smart to say, don't you?" She mused as she rummaged through her pockets. Loki snorted, trying to rear up against the booted foot to fight back, only to realize with abject shock that she was too weak. Jay laughed. "Yes, the wolfsbane on the arrow will be kicking in about now, won't it? Oh, don't worry," she continued, seeing the look on Loki's face. "It's not enough to kill you. This, however…" the woman was filling a syringe with a purple liquid. "This will do that job just fine."

Loki growled in pain as the needle pierced her skin, trying to flinch away from the sharp point. Jay laughed, driving the pump down quickly. The affect of the wolfsbane was nearly instantaneous, and Jay smirked in satisfaction as the werewolf writhed in pain beneath her.

"I didn't kill them," Loki hissed. "Their death was not my fault." It sounded like she was trying to convince herself of this.

"Wasn't it?" Jay asked. Her green eyes were hard with grief, and her mouth twisted down into an ugly sneer once again. The huntress pulled out a knife.

"Not my fault," the werewolf chanted, closing her eyes as the older woman pressed the tip of the blade to her cheek. "I didn't kill them."

"I know you did," Jay whispered back, and the cold metal of the knife kissed Loki's skin as it trailed down to her collarbones. "You can't hide the color of your eyes anymore." Jay laughed again, her eyes shining with glee. "You don't understand. My little sister suffered for _hours_ at the hands of that monster." Jay's eyes dulled. "My little Rosie," she whispered nostalgically.

The woman shook her head, and her eyes hardened again. "Not to mention my dear brother-in-law." Jay applied more pressure point of the knife, and Loki gritted her teeth as the cold steel dug into her delicate skin, drawing blood to the surface.

"You became a monster, an Alpha werewolf just like the one before you." Loki cried out as Jay suddenly dug the knife into her chest, all the way up to the hilt. "I found you, I put you in Eichen. I thought that anything they did would be as bad, if not worse than what I would do." Jay flicked the blade up again.

"But Deucalion broke you out, didn't he?" Jay asked rhetorically. She had taken off her jacket, and was laying out a considerable number of weapons in front of Loki. A blowtorch, a crowbar, a gun, a Taser. "An _Alpha_ Pack. And then, suddenly, you were _untouchable_. But now…" Jay ran her fingers over the torture devices next to her, her eyes bright with a sick excitement. "But now they're dead or gone." Loki flinched, those words hurting as much as the knife in her chest, or the poison running through her veins. "And you're alone. Weak."

"And _I_ ," Jay said primly. "Am going to avenge my sister." She tipped her head to the side, staring at Loki and smiling sadistically.

She wrapped her hand around the hilt of the dagger and began to twist it. Loki whimpered, and black blood oozed out of the wound and onto the hunter's hand. She cooed gently, and Loki glared at her.

"You should just shoot me and get it over with." Jay shook her head.

"Uh-uh." She picked a piece of cloth, and carefully bent Loki's head forward, tying it around her mouth so that no one would hear her scream.

"Hours, _Loki,"_ Jay said, watching with cheerful mirth as Loki's eyes widened with realization. " _Hours_."

* * *

Jordan pulled up at Loki's apartment complex, face pinched with worry. He cut the engine, and, on a whim, grabbed his gun and badge. He headed up the stairs quickly, carefully holding the two items aloft.

Jordan kicked the door to Loki's apartment open, stepping inside. He called out, quietly.

"Loki?" He crept through the apartment quietly, and froze. A figure was standing at the end of the darkened hallway, standing over something. Jordan raised his gun, groping for the light switch.

When the light flicked on, Jordan's eyes widened, and his mouth went dry. The woman at the end of the hallway was covered with blood, and the Loki was slumped over on the ground, unresponsive to the light.

"This is Deputy Parrish with the Beacon County Sherriff's Department," he recited, struggling to keep his voice steady. "Turn around with your hands in the air." The woman turned towards him, smiling in an odd manner.

"Parrish…" she purred. "Well, you don't say. My name is Jay Lewis."

"Put your hands above your head," Jordan warned again. Before he could react, the woman threw a knife. It sliced his hand holding the gun, and Jordan reflexively flinched, dropping his weapon.

Jay shoved Jordan back against the wall. She was surprisingly strong. The woman held a knife to his throat.

"You know, I just came her for a personal vengeance," she told him. "All I needed was to know where she was, but to get twenty-three _million_ dollars for it? Well, that's just the cherry on top.

"So I was just going to kill her, collect my money, and leave," Jay continued, pressing her hand against Jordan's throat to cut of his air supply. He struggled against her. "But who's to turn down five million easy dollars right in front of them?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Jordan gasped, pushing back against her wrist.

"It's okay," she reassured him. "It will be quick for you. I'm not _needlessly_ cruel." Jay drew back slightly, and eased her knife in between her body and Jordan's. She placed the point above his heart. Jordan closed his eyes.

A gunshot rang out, and the pressure on Jordan's throat disappeared. Coughing, the Deputy opened his eyes, expecting to see one of his colleagues. Jay was on the ground, a pool of blood spreading out from underneath her back. Her face was blank.

And, propping herself up against the wall and holding a gun, was Loki. Her hand fell limply to her side, and she looked up at him, her eyes shining bright blue.

* * *

Stiles dialed Lydia's number, pacing his room impatiently. She picked up.

"Come to the station," he said, not bothering with a greeting. "We need to tell Parrish."

"I thought we were going to let Loki tell him," she argued.

"Yeah, small problem with that. Loki's in the hospital. A hunter tried to kill her last night, and then tried to kill Parrish when he went to help her. We need to tell him, now." The other line was quiet for a minute too long. "Lydia!"

"Fine!" She snapped. "I'm on my way."

* * *

"Parrish," the Sherriff called. "One more question." He turned back towards his boss expectantly. The older man steepled his fingers together. "How did you know where to find Loki, and that she was in trouble?" Jordan blinked.

"She called me."

"Your personal?" The deputy nodded. "What did she say?" Jordan shrugged, considering.

"Not much. My name, and then she was cut off. She, uh, sounded scared, so I went to her house." Jordan winced, realizing what that sounded like. Stilinski nodded.

"But she didn't give you an address." It wasn't a question. Jordan fell silent, his face growing warm as his mind whirled with excuses. Before he could voice one, the Sherriff held up his hand. "I don't want to hear it," he told his deputy. "Just remember – Loki's still in high school. Don't do anything stupid."

* * *

Jordan led Stiles and Lydia into the station.

"Your dad should be back in about an hour," he told the younger Stilinski. "You want to wait in his office?" The two teenagers exchanged a look, and Lydia heaved a sigh.

"Actually, uh." Stiles looked around. "We wanted to talk to you."

"Privately," Lydia added cryptically, not meeting the young deputy's eye. Jordan frowned, but he led them into the office. Once the door was closed, Lydia handed him a folded sheet of paper. There were names typed up in black font, each with a number printed next to them.

"This is a hit list?" he asked.

"We call it a Dead Pool," Stiles responded. "Recognize any of the names?"

"Yeah," Jordan said. "The Sherriff had me run a bunch of these through the system last night. But we couldn't find any of them." Stiles nodded, looking at Lydia.

"Show him the other thing." Lydia hesitated, and he gave her a pointed look. She sighed, reaching out to flip the paper over. The page had been creased so that the last name was on the other side, and Jordan read it.

It was his own. He looked up, shocked.

"Okay, that's kind of terrifying." He looked at the five next to his name. "What's the number?"

"That's…how much you're worth?" Lydia offered. He spun around, staring at the two teenagers.

"I'm worth _five_ _dollars_?" he asked.

"Five _million_ ," Stiles corrected. Jordan raised his eyebrows, blinking.

"I only make forty-thousand a year," he muttered, looking down at the page. "Maybe I should kill myself." Something occurred to him. "So that's what the woman was talking about last night…is Loki worth twenty-three million?" Stiles nodded, but Jordan shook his head. "I don't get it though. Why – why am I on this? Why is Loki on this?" Stiles shook his head.

"Honestly, that might be a question for another day, there's still another third of the list we're trying to crack."

"We need the third cipher key," Lydia explained. "But we need help getting it."

"From who?" Jordan asked, still struggling to comprehend the fact that he was on a hit list.

"Meredith?" Lydia said hesitantly. Jordan looked at her incredulously.

"The girl from Eichen?" He shook his head, walking over to the door and opening it. "Last time you saw her, you almost gave her a nervous breakdown."

" _Almost_!" Lydia protested.

* * *

Loki reached for the phone that Melissa had left her upon her (increasingly agitated) requests. She dialed a number by heart, listening as it rang.

"Hey," she said when the call connected. "It's me. I'm starting to think you were right." Loki thumbed the side of the phone nervously.

" _What happened?"_ Ethan asked in concern. Loki closed her eyes.

"Someone caught up to me," she admitted, voice tight.

 _"Who?"_ Loki laughed humorlessly, eyes pricking with tears.

"My _aunt_."

* * *

 **ok welllllllll thanks for reading. please leave a review and tell me what you think?**


	14. WeaponizedTime of Death

**To : I know, I'm sorry. School is just insane.**

 **To Phoenix Crest: I'm glad! and yup, he did, I just didn't put it in the last chapter.**

 **To wayneximoff: As much as I adore Scott and Loki, I have to agree. Scott and Loki were tumultuous at the best of times and a disaster at the worst XD**

 **To Merrick Whitlock: Thank you so much!**

 **To Mackenzie McClain: mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ;)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf**

* * *

Jordan rapped lightly on the door to Loki's room in the hospital before letting himself in. She smiled at him as he came in, and he grinned back, relieved at how much healthier she looked.

"Hey," she said, sitting up in bed. The sheets pooled at her waist.

"Hey," he replied, walking over to her. He sat down on the foot of the bed and took her hands, pulling her towards him slightly and looking her up and down. "How do you feel?" She smiled softly, rearranging herself so that she was pressed up against him.

"I'm okay," she murmured against his neck. She pulled back enough so that she could pull down his collar. She gently tipped his chin back, and he obliged, baring his neck to her. She frowned slightly, brushing her fingers lightly against his throat, making Jordan shiver. "The bruises are gone," she commented, referring to the marks he'd received when Jay had choked him. Jordan shrugged, pulling her hand away and covering it with his own.

"I heal quickly, I guess." She frowned at this, for some reason. "I need to talk to you." She nodded, motioning for him to continue, but Jordan had to pause to gather his thoughts. He thought back to just after Loki had shot Jay. He pictured her, gun in a trembling hand as she stood with one hand pressed against the wall in order to support herself, eyes glowing a cold, bright blue. "Why do your eyes glow?" He finally asked. He had meant to make it sound more elegantly phrased than that, but it hadn't turned out that way. Loki stared at him for a minute, and burst out laughing.

"Jordan, what the hell?" He glared at her, and she sobered up, a grin still pulling at the edges of her perfect lips. "Sorry. Sorry. I just – I don't know what you're talking about." She leaned towards him, touching his temple lightly. "Did you hit your head?" Her eyes were soft with concern, but Jordan pulled away from her touch, irritated.

"I feel fine." He said snappishly, and she sat back, looking slightly hurt. Jordan's chest twisted. He hadn't meant to sound rude. "I know what I saw. Just like I know that for some reason, someone wants both of us dead. Why the hell are you worth twenty-three million dollars? Who wants you dead that badly?"

"All the past lovers that I've scorned?" She offered, and Jordan shook his head at her. She chuckled. "I'm kidding. I have no idea. But at the moment, I think you should get checked for a concussion. You hit the back of your head pretty hard last night, and now you're seeing things." Her eyes sparkled with a gentle mirth.

"I'm not seeing things!" He insisted. "And I _don't_ have a concussion." Loki raised her eyebrows.

"If you say so," she said, sounding dubious. Jordan gave up. It was clear that Loki had no idea what he was talking about. She looked at him again. "So, is this purely a social visit, then?" Loki asked. "Because I thought you didn't like being seen with me in public." Jordan shrugged.

"You almost died last night," he whispered, taking her face in his hands. He brushed his thumb across her cheekbone. "And afterwards…the Sheriff told me he knew something was going on between the two of us." Jordan fell silent, and Loki's eyelids closed slightly.

"I see," she said, sounding disappointed. "So this is goodbye?"

Jordan glanced back to make sure the door was closed, pressing her lips together. "It should be," he muttered, more to himself than to Loki. "But – whatever." He leaned down and kissed Loki full on the mouth. Loki was still against him for just a moment, shell-shocked, and Jordan smirked against her lips. It felt good for her to be the one surprised for once, when most of the time, she was the one getting the jump on him.

Loki made a pleased sound, as he trailed across her jawline and down to her clavicle.

"Finally," she muttered, voice a little husky. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him back up so they were face to face. Her green eyes were shining at him, and he smiled back, kissing her again. "It took you long enough."

* * *

Jordan left the hospital room quickly, insisting that she needed rest, and that he 'shouldn't be there anyway.' Unfortunately for him, someone else knocked on the door of the hospital room only minutes after the deputy had left - an awkwardly close call. Loki sat up wearily. The wolfsbane had seriously done a number on her system.

"Agent McCall," she greeted the man as he pushed the door open. "May I ask why you're here?" He nodded.

"I'd like to ask you a few questions, if that's okay," he said. Loki nodded, carefully arranging herself in bed so she was in decent position to talk in. She hope fervently that he would assume that marks on her jaw and neck were from last night, and that her cheeks were flushed from fever, not from the last fifteen minutes of activity that she and Jordan had engaged in. Luckily, he made no comment about having seen Jordan leaving her room in any similar state, and simply sat down in a chair, pulling it closer to the bed as he did so.

"Have you recovered?" Loki was a little startled by the question, but she nodded.

"More or less. I'm a little tired, still…apparently I'm more sensitive to aconite than the average person – I'm allergic." Loki motioned to the IV drip. "They're just trying to flush it from my system." The FBI agent nodded, glancing down at the notes in his hand.

"Are you missing the PSAT?" he asked, out of the blue. Loki blinked.

"Oh," she said. "That _is_ today. No, I've already taken it – I've already taken the SAT too, in fact." Now it was McCall's turn to be surprised.

"You have?" Loki nodded. "Huh. Why so early? You're only a junior." Loki shrugged, twisting one of the rings on her index finger around absentmindedly as she leaned back against the pillows.

"Dunno. My guardian moved us around a lot, and homeschooled us most of the time. The last place we were at offered tutoring and the test, so I took it and got a good score."

"'Us', being you and the two boys." The man glanced down at his notes again. "The – Steiner twins?"

"Ethan and Aiden," Loki agreed, eyes softening at the mention of her best friends. "Yeah."

"Where is your guardian now?"

"Duke?" Loki asked, using the name Deucalion most often put down for official records. Legally, he wasn't her guardian. But when he'd had the twins and her enroll in high school, someone needed to claim responsibility to them, so Kali had forged some documents, and voilà. "Not sure, exactly." The agent raised his eyebrows, and she continued. "He and I had a, ah, falling out."

"About what?" McCall was watching her, not exactly suspiciously, but with a concentrated intenseness. Loki didn't bat an eyelash. Lying to police wasn't any different in semantics than it was to lying to anyone else. The fact that it was illegal intimidated most people, but it had never thrown Loki off.

"I'm eighteen," Loki replied. "And I'm a junior in high school. In fact, I'll be nineteen almost before before junior year ends." This wasn't strictly true. Her newest official birthday was in June, and she knew that she _was_ actually eighteen already, but Loki had distinct memories of having birthday parties in late November when her parents were still alive, so she was pretty sure that she was almost six months younger than her current birth certificate and school record stated. Deucalion had often changed her and twins' birth dates around based on what was convenient for the situation they were in. But, hey, having those extra six months was pretty convenient for this conversation.

"I've been to so many different high schools," Loki continued. "I just – I wanted to graduate here. Duke wanted to move again, and I refused. I was eighteen, so he couldn't force me to go with him." Loki shrugged. "So I stayed."

"And the twins?"

"London," Loki responded. "Duke grew up there, and brought us there a few times. They always liked it there." McCall nodded, still looking mildly dubious, but he changed the subject.

"The woman told Parrish her name – Jay Lewis." Loki nodded, looking thoughtful. "Does that name mean anything to you?"

"No." Loki shrugged. "Should it?" The lie fell from her lips as easy as anything, and Loki winced inwardly, briefly remembering her promise to Scott that she'd never lie to him. She hoped he hadn't thought that would extend to everyone else. Her face betrayed none of the warring emotions inside of her. Sighing, the agent opened up the manila folder and pulled out a picture. He handed it to Loki.

"You tell me. This is a picture of a little girl named Elizabeth Carter," Agent McCall said said, carefully watching Loki's expression. "She disappeared over a decade ago from a small town in Maryland. Right after her parents died of an animal attack." He handed Loki another photo, one of the crime scene of the parents. "Careful, it's graphic."

Loki flipped the photo over without hesitation. She grimaced when she saw the photo, and turned it over again quickly, but she didn't look more bothered by this case than the average person would. Not like the picture triggered painful memories. Agent McCall frowned again. This theory that he had had seemed highly plausible when he'd first thought of it, but now that he was here questioning Loki he felt less confident. Something about her calm, confused demeanor was shaking his assurance.

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked, frowning. The agent tapped the photo that was still facing upwards, the one of Elizabeth Carter. The little girl was grinning at the photographer, her green eyes shining with a sort of innocent happiness.

"This little girl's aunt was Jay Lewis," the agent responded. Loki stared at him, mouth hanging slightly open as she put the pieces together. She wasn't stupid.

"You think – you think I'm Elizabeth Carter? And that, if I was Elizabeth Carter, my aunt crossed the country last night to come _kill_ and torture me?" she said, her voice pitching upwards incredulously. "That's – ridiculous. No offense."

"Maybe so," McCall said carefully. "But several things point to it being a plausible theory. You are around the same age as Elizabeth would be, you look similar, and Jay Lewis poisoned you with aconite - something you have an allergy to." He shuffled some papers, avoiding eye contact. "There's no record of Elizabeth having that allergy, but if there were, her aunt would know about it. I'd like to take your fingerprints anyways, just to see if they match the ones we lifted of her toys when she disappeared." He pulled out a pad of ink and a sheet of paper, pushing them across the table to her. Loki shook her head in disbelief.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" The FBI agent stared at her, surprised. Loki allowed her placid, confused mask to fall slowly from her face, revealing an expression of resentment and anger that she didn't feel. "I mean, forgive me is this sounds _selfish_ , but someone tried to _kill_ me last night, and I don't know why. Can't you figure that out first?" As soon as her anger appeared, it faded, and she slumped against the pillows, eyes dull.

Loki then dropped her head into her hands as if chagrined, blinking fake tears out of her eyes as they ran down her cheeks. She sniffled convincingly.

"Sorry," she added in a small voice. "I didn't mean that." She wiped her cheeks, eyes shining brightly. McCall looked slightly surprised at the sudden mood change, but didn't seem suspicious of it. It seemed to be the natural response to a traumatizing event for most people. He placed a hand on her shoulder in a comforting manner.

"I know this request seems inane and callous to you right now," he began soothingly. "But this is the first step to figuring out why you were attacked last night, I promise you. Admittedly, seven years old is a bit old to have no memories of being Elizabeth Carter, if you are, but it's a possibility. We need to rule out all of them." Loki took a deep, shuddering breath, and nodded slowly.

"Okay."

 _Shit._

* * *

For the third time that day, there was a knock at Loki's door. This time, there were two people who came into her room – Derek and Melissa.

"Loki," the nurse said. Her patient was blinking as though she'd just awoken. "I'm going to take your IV out, okay? We need your help." Loki sat up.

"What's wrong?" She asked, immediately concerned.

"A disease that infects our kind has been weaponized," Derek told her as Melissa pulled out the needle. Loki slid out of bed, almost falling as her knees buckled beneath her. Derek caught her before she hit the ground. He pulled her into a standing position, and Melissa winced.

"This was a bad idea," she muttered to herself, looking down the hallway to make sure no one else saw her taking an ill patient out of her room with no explanation.

"I'm fine," Loki said, but she made no move to try to stand free of Derek's grasp. She set her jaw in stubborn determination, lifting her chin. "Let's go - explain on the way."

Derek and Melissa led Loki to the morgue, filling her in on what happened. When Loki reached the morgue, Deaton was there with an elderly woman and a body of a werewolf. The body was covered in dried sweat and black goo. His scalp had been peeled back and was flopped across his forehead. Even so, Loki was made more nervous by the other _living_ werewolf.

"Satomi," Loki greeted the woman warily. The Alpha regarded her with guarded disappointment.

"Loki." The elder werewolf nodded at the Beta. Deaton ignored the awkward greeting, covering the body of the werewolf in a sheet. Melissa pulled a chair over for Loki, and she sat down on it, grateful.

"If your pack was infected, then who was doing all the shooting at the entrance to the woods?" Derek asked.

"Apparently another assassin," Satomi said, crossing her arms. "Personally, I'd rather face a gun than a variant of smallpox."

"Sounds like you're going to get plenty of chances," Melissa said, rubbing her neck. Satomi didn't seem to be paying attention. She was staring at Derek. It took him a few moments to notice, but he turned to her, blinking in surprise. Satomi dropped her gaze, seeming slightly embarrassed.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I was just noticing how much you remind me of Talia." Loki recognized the name of Derek's mother from Deucalion's stories. He'd always told Loki about her, the powerful Alpha with the ability to shift fully. The werewolf Beta dropped his head, smiling slightly and nodding at the mention of his deceased mother. "I used to visit her a lot," Satomi continued. "Do you remember me?"

"I remember the tea," Derek responded, sounding slightly nostalgic. "You always brought that tea that smelled terrible." Satomi chuckled quietly.

"I brought that tea as a gift," she told him. "Your mother loved it."

"What kind of tea?" Deaton asked, suddenly. Satomi turned back towards her old friend, blinking in surprise.

"What?"

"The tea with the smell," he pressed. "What kind was it?"

"Reishi," Satomi answered, sounding bewildered. "Wild purple reishi. It's very rare."

"It's a remedy for sickness," Loki realized, looking up. Deacon nodded at the young werewolf. "A powerful one." Satomi looked at Loki, eyebrows raised, and Loki shrugged. "Deucalion used to drink it," she explained. Loki didn't add that he often drank it because it reminded him of Talia, who Loki had always suspected he had feelings for. Satomi's lips pressed together in a disapproving manner at the mention of Loki's former Alpha.

"Satomi, you didn't get infected because you've been inoculated," Deaton added. The tea was a cure.

"Okay, okay," Melissa said, sounding motivated. "How rare is it? Can we get some?" Derek was shaking his head.

"We don't have to," he said. "My mother kept some of it – it's in our vault."

* * *

When Loki was finally discharged from the hospital later that night, she was surprised to find Derek waiting for her.

"Is everything okay?" She asked, walking towards him. Derek nodded.

"I thought you might want a ride home," he said, leading her outside. Loki laughed slightly, surprised. She and Derek had never been friends.

"Uh, thanks." As she climbed into the passenger seat of Derek's car, she looked over at him, confused. "I thought that you hated me," she said bluntly. Derek shrugged.

"Scott trusts you," he replied, as if it explained everything. "Besides, my memory from when - whatever Kate did to me is fuzzy, but I remember enough to know that you…you were there. Trying to help." Derek shrugged again. "This is the least I can do to thank you." Loki snorted.

"You're welcome?" she offered, not quite knowing how to respond to that. Derek laughed, his smile changing his whole demeanor.

"How do you know Satomi?" Derek asked suddenly. Loki looked up in surprise, before dropping her gaze. She shook her head.

"I came across her when I was with Deucalion," Loki admitted. "Right after he'd broken me out of Eichen. She told me that I shouldn't trust him, she told me that she thought that I was better than that." Loki looked at the other werewolf. "My grandmother on dad's side, his mother – she was Satomi's emissary before she died. But I was angry and scared, and still half-insane."

"And?" Derek prompted. Loki shrugged.

"I don't know. Satomi offered me a place to heal, a place where I could find peace," she said. "Deucalion rescued me from a hell-hole and offered me power." Loki was quiet for a moment, and when she looked up, her eyes were shining. "I think she was disappointed in me – in my choice."

* * *

It was only when Loki reached her home that she remembered that she'd never figured out how to stop Agent McCall from figuring out that she was Elizabeth Carter. As it turned out, she didn't need to.

He was waiting for her when she reached her apartment door. Loki placed her hand on the doorknob, unsure how to react.

"Would you like to come in?" The agent shook his head.

"No, thank you. This will be quick." He cleared his throat. "I've reviewed your finger prints with the Elizabeth Carter's, and it was found to not be a match. Not only that but, a few hours ago I got a call. Local police in Maryland just discovered the remains of a yet to be identified young girl. But based on preliminary findings, it is assumed to be the body of Elizabeth Carter."

Loki rocked back on her heels, mind reeling. All of this was terribly convenient. _Too_ convenient.

"Okay," she heard herself say. "What now?"

"Now," the agent said. "I have to go to San Francisco. But when I get back, I promise we'll focus on why Jay Lewis wanted you dead. Are you sure you feel safe staying here alone?" He asked, motioning to the penthouse behind him. Loki shook her head.

"Not really…I was going to go to a friend's, I just wanted to get some stuff." It wasn't true, but it seemed like the correct response for the average person, given what had happened. McCall nodded, and murmured a goodbye as he walked towards the elevator.

As Loki pulled out her keys to unlock the door, she realized with a spark of fear that it was already unlocked. Pushing the door open, she moved quietly into the entry hall, hands curled into fists. Her claws pricked at the delicate skin of her palms.

There was no one waiting for her, and to her immense surprise, the place was spotless. No sign of the blood or shattered furniture that had marked the fight that she and Jordan had engaged in with her aunt. The only thing out of place was a piece of paper on the floor.

Crossing the room, Loki narrowed her eyes at the folded sheet. She bent to pick it up, reading the handwritten note. There were only two words on the page.

 _You're welcome._

It wasn't signed, but Loki had recognized the slanted scrawl instantaneously.

Deucalion's.

* * *

Loki squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself not to scream. Her mind was moving too fast for her to comprehend what was happening.

 _Relax,_ a voice - Deucalion's voice - whispered in her mind. _You'll never be able to see what's right in front of you with your mind that loud._ Heeding his order, Loki took a deep breath. It shuddered in her chest as she let it out, and she inhaled again, even slower this time.

Okay. Okay. So. Deucalion had somehow heard about her situation. He'd...what? He'd cleaned the apartment so she wouldn't have to? Had someone - one of his many resources - hack into FBI files for her? He'd...killed a small girl to take the suspicion of something that wasn't a crime away from her.

Loki's stomach twisted, and hot tears threatened to spill over. She composed herself, and then she called the twins, of course. Loki tried Ethan first, and when she didn't get a response, she called Aiden. He picked up on the fifth ring.

" _Loki, what?"_ He asked, sounding sleepy and a little annoyed. A flash of guilt went through Loki as she realized that it was the middle of the night in London.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I didn't mean to wake you. I can call you back later."

" _As long as I'm up, you might as well talk,"_ Aiden muttered. Loki picture him passing a hand over his eyes to clear them of sleep, his bangs plastered to his forehead and his hair spiky in the back, and her chest tightened with longing to be with him and his brother. " _Well?"_ Loki bit her lip.

"Just – is Deucalion keeping tabs on you two as well?" she asked. Aiden was quiet for a minute.

" _I assume so,_ " he responded. _"We get money every now and then from an anonymous source. We just guessed it was him, his way of trying to apologize."_ Aiden snorted derisively. Loki's fingers curled around the phone. " _Why?"_

 _"_ I just _–_ I think that he did something for me," Loki said. "But I don't know how far he went or what he did, exactly. I want to talk to him." There was another pause on the end of the phone.

 _"Can't help you there,"_ Aiden told her. " _And I wouldn't, either. You don't need to thank him, or return a favor to him."_

 _"_ It's not that, Aiden," Loki insisted. "I think he killed someone, a small child, to cover something up for me – something that might not have been a big deal. I don't want him doing things like that." _God,_ Loki hoped it had been fast for the child.

 _"It won't lead anywhere back to you,"_ Aiden reassured the other teenager. Loki growled in frustration.

"That is _not_ what this is about," she snapped, running her hands through her hair. Her fingers snagged on a knot and she scowled, dropping her arm again. "I don't want him killing for me."

" _What, because you never did for him?"_ Aiden asked sarcastically. Loki winced, but before she could protest, Aiden was plowing on. " _None of us owe Deucalion anything, not anymore. We all paid that debt a hundred times over. Let him do as he pleases. And just – leave the past where it belongs, Loki. Okay?"_

* * *

The next afternoon, Loki stood in Scott's bedroom with Kira, Noshiko, and Liam, trying to forget about the body in the woods of Maryland. The terrible plan that they were about to engage in kind of helped with that. Scott was lying on his bed with his shirt un-buttoned part of the way. The room reeked of anxiety, most prominently from Liam.

"Are we totally sure about this?" the freshman asked, pacing the length of the small room. Kira looked down at Scott.

"I think Liam's kind of nervous," she said, her own terror displaying plainly on her face. "Maybe you should tell him it's going to be all right." Scott smiled gently, not taking his eyes of Kira's face.

"It's going to be all right," he repeated obediently.

"I still think I should be the one to go under," Loki said. "I'm the second highest on the Dead Pool, and I have less to lose than Scott does." Loki was certain that if given a choice between saving Scott's life and saving her own, everyone in the pack would save Scott's. And she couldn't blame them. She would save him over herself any day.

And besides, she was projecting her guilt of the events of last night into their current situation.

"You have the twins," Scott said to her. He locked eyes with her. "And the rest of us." Loki looked down.

"Still," she heard herself say.

"It had to be Scott," Noshiko corrected. "Only an Alpha can survive this."

"I was an Alpha for over a decade," Loki replied coldly. "I'm sure I could handle it."

"Not right now you couldn't," Noshiko said. Loki scowled at the woman, opening her mouth to snap something.

"She's right." Scott cut in. "You're still weak from that hunter's attack. You need more rest." Loki sighed, scowling in frustration. She waved her hands dismissively, motioning for them to continue as the guilt coiled in her gut.

"So, have you done this before?" Liam asked the older Kitsune. She turned towards him.

"I've seen it done," she said. Liam shifted uncomfortably; looking from his Alpha sprawled across the bed back to the Kitsune.

"Is that just as good?" he asked hopefully. Noshiko shook her head.

"No." Liam's eyes widened, and his fear scent spiked again, almost enough to make Loki choke.

"Mom!" Kira scolded. "You're not inspiring confidence."

"Good," the older woman replied. "This is a terrible idea."

"Well, we'll do it without you, so…" Loki left the sentence open-ended, allowing Noshiko to fill in the blanks. She sighed in acquiescence, stepping forward.

"Put your hand over his heart," she directed her daughter, motioning. Kira took a deep breath, and reached out a trembling hand toward Scott's chest. Before she could touch his pectoral, he grabbed her hand, sitting up as much as the space would allow.

"Hold on," he said, looking to Noshiko. "What happens while I'm out? Am I going to feel anything?"

"It might feel like you're dreaming," Noshiko told him gently. Scott nodded, licking his lips nervously.

"Good dreams or bad?"

"I suppose that depends on you," she said. The Kitsune looked across the bed to Loki. "Another reason why you couldn't do it." Loki's eyes narrowed, and her chin jutted up.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Noshiko smiled coldly at the werewolf.

"If you can't even come to terms with who you are awake, how do you think you'll fare when the only thing to do is look into your own mind?"

* * *

Loki was waiting in the morgue with Scott's unconscious body, Kira, Noshiko, Liam and Stiles when Melissa pushed through the swinging doors. She was sniffling and wiping tears from her cheeks. She took a deep breath as she observed Scott's still, pale body.

"I still hate this plan," she said, voice rasping in her throat. "I mean, this is pretty significantly terrifying. He looks dead." She choked back a sob as she looked at her son, and Loki's heart clenched sympathetically. Noshiko watched the other mother from across Scott's body.

"Give me your hand," she said, holding out her own. Melissa blinked, looking at her in confusion. She looked at Stiles, who nodded encouragingly at her.

"It's okay," he reassured the woman. He rubbed her back gently, and Loki looked away, something about the gentle moment bringing up the painful memory of the twins and Kali after Ennis's death. She swallowed hard, forcing herself to look back to Melissa. Noshiko had placed her hand on Scott's chest. Loki watched Melissa's face crumpled as she held the cold skin.

"Wait for it," Noshiko insisted. Loki could hear the slow thump of Scott's heart, and relief broke out across Melissa's face.

"Oh," she whispered, shoulders relaxing. "Is that enough to keep a werewolf alive?"

"Enough for an Alpha," Noshiko corrected.

"How much time do we have?" Melissa asked, regaining her composure.

"Forty-five minutes," Noshiko responded.

"What happens after that?" Melissa asked.

"I bring him back the same way," Kira said quietly. Melissa shook her head. This wasn't the answer she wanted.

"No, I mean what happens if he stays like this for longer than forty-five minutes?" There was an awkward pause as no one answered and every one steadfastly avoided Melissa's eyes.

"No one's told her?" Noshiko asked unnecessarily. Melissa's eyes widened and the cryptic note in the other woman's voice, and she looked around, panicked.

"What? What happens after forty-five minutes?" She demanded. By the look on her face, it was clear she knew the answer to the question, the answer that she didn't want to hear but needed to know.

"He dies."

* * *

Four MacBook computers were set up on the bed of a hospital room that Melissa had procured for them. They were set up on the bed. Liam was still jumpy, starting at every creak of a floorboard.

"Liam. Try to relax," Loki soothed. He looked over at her, blue eyes very wide.

"I'm fine," he insisted, and Loki shook her head.

"No, you're not. But it's okay. Scott's your Alpha – feeling this anxiety is natural." Liam bit his lip.

"So – all Betas feel like this towards their Alpha?" Loki cracked a grin.

"I killed my first Alpha after two weeks, so no." She had to laugh at the shell-shocked expression on Liam's face. "But…" Loki remembered Deucalion, his steady voice talking her through the pain of her first complete shift after Eichen, his quiet, somewhat encouraging demeanor in the background as she trained with the twins and Kali and Ennis. She remembered the unadulterated hatred she'd felt towards him the last time she saw him, replaced now with a sense of calm nostalgia, despite her fear of the act he'd committed for her. "Most of the time." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Take a deep breath, and try to relax," she repeated herself. Liam did as he was told, inhaling deeply.

Stiles phone rang, and he picked up the call. Loki could hear Argent's voice on the other end. As he listened, Stiles reached out, hitting the space bar on his computer. The screen flickered on, and the others followed suit, displaying the four of the hospital's security cameras on each screen.

As they watched, one of the cameras flickered out, going completely dark. The words 'no signal' appeared in the corner.

"Is that supposed to look like that?" Liam asked nervously. Stiles leaned over to check, and he shook his head.

"Where is that?" Loki asked.

"Uh, the roof," Stiles supplied. "Someone should go check it out." Loki nodded, moving to leave, but Kira grabbed her arm.

"I'll go," the Kitsune volunteered quickly.

"Whoa, whoa. This might not be just a malfunction," the human cautioned. Kira nodded, holding up her sword.

"That's why I'm bringing this. And," she continued, slinging it over her shoulder. "Why Loki needs to stay. You're still recovering." Loki growled, leaning back against the table behind her sullenly.

"You guys can only use that excuse for so long," she muttered.

"Yeah, well, might as well milk it while we can," Stiles said, nodding at Kira. The Asian girl left, and Liam straightened up.

"I'm coming with you!" Liam called, running after Kira.

"Okay, and you're both coming right back! Immediately!" Stiles yelled after the two supernaturals. He sighed. "Kids." Loki snorted, and Stiles grinned at her, and Loki realized with surprise that it was the first time he'd ever smiled like _that_ at her. Like he was actually comfortable being with her.

Maybe Scott's earlier words held some water after all.

* * *

"Stiles!" Loki pointed at the computer screens as all the cameras flickered off, reading 'no signal.' Before he could react, the lights in the room flickered out as well, leaving the teenagers in darkness, illuminated only by the screens of the computer.

Loki and Stiles's eyes met, faces glowing unnaturally under the bright light of the laptop display. The ghostly cast highlighted the apprehension on both of their faces.

"Morgue," she said, and he nodded.

"Yeah, yup. Now, immediately." The two rushed for the stairs, feet pounding as they pushed through the doors that led them to the floor of the morgue. When they got into the room, Loki sighed in relief as she saw Scott's still body.

"He's still here," she said, stating the obvious. Stiles had already whipped out his cell phone and was making a call. As it rang, he muttered to himself.

"Come on, come on. Answer the phone. Answer the phone, Argent." He paced wildly, the lights flickering on and off. "Answer the phone! Why are you not answering the phone?" As if on cue, a body was thrown through the doors of the morgue – Argent. He groaned, rolling over.

"I was right," he gasped out. "Stiles, Loki, get out of here." A woman pushed through the still swinging doors. She was young, blonde, and smelled of a supernatural creature that had yet to understand their power. Somehow Loki knew that it was Allison's aunt – Kate Argent.

Argent pushed himself to his feet, standing next to Loki and Stiles. Together, they blocked the cubby that contained Scott's body.

"Get out of the way," she commanded. "I'm taking the body."

"Why? Visual confirmation?" Stiles demanded, shuffling backwards slightly. Kate shook her head once, a slow smirk spreading across her face.

"Don't worry, handsome. I'm not the Benefactor."

"Then why the hell do you want his body?" Loki snapped, moving into a defensive stance in front of the two humans. Kate shook her head.

"I wish I could tell you." Argent rushed forward suddenly, gripping his sister's forearm in one hand and holding a gun to her chin with the other. She grunted, baring her teeth as she growled.

"I always forget you carry two." She murmured to her brother.

"Back off!" He yelled, his finger curling around trigger of the gun.

"You sure you can pull the trigger fast enough?" Kate asked her brother tauntingly. Her eyes were cool and disinterested, and there was no fear.

"I don't want to," he told her. Loki could feel his pain, his grief and anger as clearly as if it were her own. She could also sense his certainty deep below that, barely wavering.

"You're not going to kill me," his sister said.

"I'm not going to let you take his body!" He responded through gritted teeth. But his hands were shaking. Stiles scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Well, obviously you guys have a lot to talk about," he quipped. "So I saw some coffee – I don't know, a vending machine outside."

"Listen, Kate," Argent pleaded, cutting Stiles off. "We have a plan." The turned huntress regarded her elder brother coolly.

"And if killing Scott was part of it then you're worse than me."

"He's telling the truth," Loki said quietly. Her voice was like a stone striking the surface of the water. One small action that rippled through out the room, drawing attention to her. Kate looked to the other supernatural. "We're trying to get to The Benefactor. And," she continued, calmly, stepping forward. "If you hadn't noticed – you're on that list as well. And you're worth a lot."

"That's why I'm here," she insisted.

"Then leave," Loki said. Her green eyes were intense, like two pieces of icy jade. "And let us continue what we have planned." Kate gripped her brother's arm, turning so that the timer that was counting down faced her. There were only three minutes left before Scott died.

"Leave," Argent pleaded his sister. "Take the Berserkers and go."

"Kate." Loki's negotiating skills were as steady as they'd always been, and her voice was as convincing as always. "We have a plan."

* * *

Loki wiggled through the window of Scott's room, sliding onto the floor as gracefully as possible. He smiled at her.

"You could have knocked," he said. "I have a door." Loki grinned back, crossing the room.

"Yeah, well, what's the fun in that?" She sat on the edge of his bed. "You called?" Scott nodded. He looked distracted, and concern rose in Loki. She touched his cheek gently, and he turned towards her. "Hey. What's up?"

"I just – I – " Scott paused, sounding frustrated. "I don't know. My dreams while I was out – the last one was kind of disturbing. I mean, more so than the others." He looked at Loki, and he closed his eyes. "I dreamed that I had the Mute's tomahawk. I was killing – I was killing Liam. My Beta." Loki realized immediately why Scott had called, and a cold rush ran through her body. Scott looked up at Loki, eyes shining with fear. "I felt this rush of power, this kind of glee."

"The power boost of becoming an Augmented Alpha," Loki murmured. She closed her eyes, and shook her head. "Why are you scared? It was only a dream." Scott blinked, rubbing his temples.

"I'm not sure. But I just – Deucalion was once a good man, and then he killed his Beta, and that was the beginning of his downfall. What if – what if that's me? What if those dreams are things that will happen in the future?" Loki knew that Scott wasn't just talking about killing Liam, he was talking about killing in general.

"Scott," she said. "Scott, look at me." When her ex turned towards her, Loki took a deep breath and let her eyes shine. The deep blue glowed at Scott. "The saying 'the eyes are the window to the soul' hasn't been true for me since I was seven. Now that it is, I am completely terrified. I can't – in Noshiko's words, I can't come to terms with it. But you, your eyes will always show who you are. You are a True Alpha. You are not a killer. You are most definitely not Deucalion." Loki took his face in her hands, pressing her forehead to his. "You are Scott McCall," she told him, sounding more assured and convincing than she ever had. "And you are only goodness."

* * *

 **idk the second half of this chapter was kind of difficult.**

 **the feedback i got on the last chapter was brilliant! thank you so much! i would love to hear more of it hint** **hint. :)**

 **(please leave a review)**


	15. PerishableMonstrous

**To wayneximoff: :):)**

 **To Arianna Le Fay: I love Scott and Loki too, but I thought Scott and Kira's relationship needed to run its course.**

 **To Merrick Whitlock: Thank you!  
**

 **Also I think I should put a trigger warning here because this chapter mentions suicide and panic attacks.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf**

* * *

Loki stood warily outside the door to Jordan's house. She pulled out her phone, re-reading her outgoing text messages that he'd suddenly stopped responding to. Biting her lip, Loki debated briefly whether or not she was overreacting.

Considering the fact that he was worth five million dollars on a hit list that professional killers had access to, she didn't think she was. Loki knocked on Jordan's door, and to her surprise and worry, it pushed right open.

"Jordan?" she called, into the empty house. She bit the inside of her cheek again, realizing that this situation mirrored the one the night her aunt had attacked her at the penthouse. Loki inhaled slightly, and winced as the smell of blood hit her nose. It wasn't terribly potent, but it was present – and Jordan wasn't.

Swearing softly, Loki backed out of the room, heading for the Sherriff's station.

* * *

Loki parked her bike outside the station, glancing around the parking lot. She didn't see Jordan's car anywhere, nor did she see his cruiser. To her surprise, however, she did see Stiles's Jeep and Lydia's car. Heaving a sigh, Loki ran into the station, trying to convince herself nothing was wrong.

Loki spotted Stiles and Lydia in the Sherriff's office, probably updating Stiles's dad on Lydia's new theory about her grandmother. But Jordan was nowhere in sight.

"Hey," Loki leaned over the desk of Jordan's partner, Haigh. He jumped, pushing his computer screen down slightly. He blinked rapidly up at her, smiling awkwardly, and Loki frowned. Something was off. Shaking her head, she continued. "Have you seen Jordan – Deputy Parrish?" He shook his head, eyes wide, and the smell of guilt and anxiety hit Loki's nose.

Narrowing her eyes, Loki backed away. Haigh's lips twisted down as he noticed her expression, and his hand twitched towards his gun.

Before either of them could react, a familiar scent caught Loki's attention, and she whirled around. Sure enough, Jordan was at the door.

His clothes were almost completely burned off, and what was left of them hung in tatters on his bare skin. Soot covered Jordan's entire body, and a burnt smell hung around him. Despite looking like he'd just walked through an inferno, Jordan still had all of his hair, and he looked unharmed. His facial expression was blank and his pace was unnaturally quick.

Loki watched, eyes huge, as Jordan paused in front of Haigh. His partner looked up, and then did a double take; jaw dropping as he saw the other deputy in front of him. She watched as he went for his gun, and Jordan moved forward at the same supernatural speed. He gripped Haigh's wrist, shoving the gun to the side as Haigh pulled his finger down around the trigger. The ricochet bullets hit the glass window next to Loki, and she grimaced as the shards stung her face.

"You're dead," Haigh breathed out, disbelieving. Jordan grunted in an animalistic manner, slinging the other deputy to the ground. The Sherriff noticed the commotion and flung his office door opening, pointing his gun at the two brawling deputies, yelling from them to stop.

Jordan hit Haigh across the face, and another bullet fired from his gun, clipping the Sherriff in the shoulder. Loki heard Lydia scream – in a human way, not in a Banshee way – and Stiles yelled for his father, rushing to his side.

"Stop!" Loki screamed as Jordan brought his fist down across Haigh's face again. "Stop! Jordan – Jordan!" When she yelled his name, the deputy hesitated, looking at her. As he stared at Loki, he blinked, and odd expression covering his face. His hands slackened, and fell to his sides, harmless.

* * *

Jordan stepped out of his bedroom, a towel wrapped around his waist. Water still glistened on his shoulders as he stared across the room to Loki. She was sitting on his couch, reading something on her phone. He crossed over to her, and leaned down, wrapping his arms around her waist.

She had evidently been caught up enough in her reading that she hadn't noticed his approach. As his arms snaked around her, she jumped, quickly turning her phone off.

"Why are you interested in news in _Maryland_?" he asked, amused, kissing her neck. "What are you reading?" She turned around, pressing herself against him.

"Something for school," she said smoothly. His eyes narrowed at her playfully, and he nipped her neck. "Jordan!" She scolded, laughing and leaning away from him. "Come on," she continued, pulling his arms from her waist and shoving him away from her pointedly. "Go get dressed. We're going to Derek's."

* * *

Derek listened quietly as Jordan explained what had happened. When the deputy was finished, Derek took his hands, flipping them over and over to examine the unmarked skin more closely. The werewolf frowned.

"He covered you in gasoline?" Derek repeated. Jordan nodded, and Derek stepped back, allowing Jordan to drop his hands back to his side. Derek surveyed Jordan's body on a whole.

"It's the hair and nails, isn't it?" Lydia asked. "The parts of the body that are essentially dead."

"They should be gone," Derek agreed.

"I was set on _fire_ ," Jordan said, touching the center of his chest carefully. " _All_ of me should be gone."

"Not if you're like us," Scott responded ambiguously. Jordan frowned, turning towards the Alpha. He glanced at Loki, and then Derek, and lastly Lydia, eyebrows raised inquisitively.

"Like you?" He repeated, clearly confused.

"I don't think he's like us," Derek replied, still studying Jordan closely. The expression on Derek's face was clinically curious, similar to a doctor who'd been presented with an odd medical case.

"Then what _is_ he?" Lydia asked. The elder werewolf shook his head.

"Sorry, but I have no idea," he admitted. "This is a little out of my experience. There might be something in the bestiary. Did you try Argent?" Scott shook his head, looking down at the ground.

"I don't know where he is," Scott murmured. Scott looked at Loki, but before he even asked, she was shaking her head.

"I don't know either," she said. "I already would have told him if I knew." Something occurred to her, and her shoulders lifted slightly. "But…Deucalion might know. He would know. I could try to – "

"No," Scott, Lydia and Derek all said simultaneously. Loki scowled, and Jordan looked around, shaking his head.

"Okay, hold on. What's a bestiary? Who the hell is Deucalion?" Loki opened her mouth to respond, but Jordan was already moving on, much to her relief. "Actually, that's not even my first question! Just…just tell me one thing. Are all of you like Lydia? Are you all psychic?" Derek snorted at this, shaking his head and turning away. Jordan sighed, clearly frustrated.

"Jordan," Loki said. He turned towards her, and she rolled her eyes, but she was smiling softly. "Lydia's not psychic. She just has…certain abilities. As for the rest of us in the room…" Loki turned to Scott, raising her eyebrows. He nodded, and closed his eyes.

When he opened them, they were the bright crimson red of an Alpha.

* * *

"What's a kanima?" Jordan asked, rubbing his temples. He was seated on Derek's couch while the others stood, struggling to make him understand the supernatural world. _Their_ world. And now – his, too.

"We'll get back to that," Scott insisted. Even the True Alpha's never-ending patience was being tried. He was anxious to make Jordan understand what was important in the present moment, but understandably so, Jordan was getting sidetracked by the overwhelming details. Loki sat down next to Jordan and took his hand in hers. He shot her a look and then a nervous glance at the others in the room, but didn't pull away.

"The most important thing you need to know right now is that everyone with some kind of supernatural ability, everyone like us, is on the Dead Pool," Loki told him.

"But I don't even know what I am!" Jordan insisted.

"They probably don't either," Loki said.

"And I'm pretty sure that they don't care," Derek added. Loki shot him a look, and he scowled back.

"How many professional assassins are we talking about?" Jordan asked. Lydia shrugged, responding from where she was pacing back and forth in front of the coffee table.

"We're starting to lose count," the Banshee admitted.

"Is it still just professionals?" Scott asked, reminding them of the other attacks that seemed less...refined.

"I don't think Haigh's ever tried anything like this," Jordan responded. His eyes were far away as he considered his partner. "I think he was taking a chance." Loki sighed.

"That means anyone with the Dead Pool could 'take a chance,'" Derek muttered, casting a look at the others in the room.

"So if Jordan's annoying partner had it, then who else does?" Loki pressed. "How easy is it to get access to this thing now?" Derek and Scott exchanged a look, and Loki shook her head. The answer was clear – too easy. "Alrighty then. Not to deviate from this cheerful topic," Loki added, looking to Lydia. "Want to expound on this theory about your grandmother?"

Lydia looked around, seeing that all the attention was now on her. She took a seat on Derek's sloppily made bed, and nodded once.

"Meredith was only at my grandmother's lakehouse once," she began. "But I think once was enough." Lydia pressed her lips together, her eyes glassy-looking.

"How did your grandmother know her?" Derek asked the teenager. Lydia shook her head.

"She didn't." Was the reply. "She _found_ her. Because of another woman named Maddy. The woman she loved." Lydia studied the photograph in her hand, and then stood, walking over to Scott. She passed the picture to him.

"I never met her," she continued. "But I saw her name everywhere. She used to be part of a yacht-racing team. There were plaques and trophies in the lake house from all the regattas she'd won."

"How did she die?" Jordan asked.

"How's not the story," Lydia replied. "It's what happened right before. My grandmother, Lorraine, used to work in San Francisco for IBM. She was there on a weekend, catching up on work. She started hearing this sound, like rain. But when she looked out the windows…all she saw was blue sky." Lydia's eyes were teary, and Loki wondered what their Banshee was seeing in the moment, and if it was painful for her.

"She kept hearing rain?" Loki asked, as gently as possible. Lydia nodded.

"And it just kept getting louder. Rain, and thunder cracking like gunshots in her head. So loud…she finally just screamed." Lydia turned towards them, her face pale.

"Like a Banshee," Derek murmured. Lydia barely acknowledged the werewolf, instead continuing the story.

"She called Maddy, who was planning on taking one of the boats out on the lake. But Maddy said that the sun was shining there too. So Lorraine didn't say anything." Lydia pressed her lips together, wringing her hands.

"There was an accident?" Jordan whispered. Lydia dipped her head once.

"It took them four days to find Maddy's body. And then it took _decades_ to find out how Lorraine knew." Lydia continued to explain how Lorraine had hired pseudo-scientists at first, then turned to mediums and psychics, and how they'd all failed. And then she'd found Meredith.

"They found her at Eichen," Lydia explained. "This fragile girl who didn't understand the things she heard. They brought her to the lakehouse…and they almost killed her. She was hospitalized for over a year…she never really recovered." Lydia was really crying now, her mascara smudged as the tears traced down her pale cheeks. "My grandmother drove her insane," Lydia whispered, voice edged with guilt and sorrow. "And I drove her to suicide. And all she ever wanted to do was help." Loki reached out to Lydia, placing a hand on her shoulder. Shaking her head, the strawberry blonde girl wiped her cheeks and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper.

"My grandmother created the code for the Dead Pool," she said, laying the sheet on the table for the others to see. "They think she's the Banshee who put the names out in the first place." Lydia tapped the piece of paper. "She left me this message in the same code."

"But no cipher key," Loki stated, looking at Lydia for clarification. The Banshee shook her head.

* * *

Jordan glanced over to the girl in the passenger seat of his car. Loki was silent, and the silver moonlight that cast over her face gave her features on ethereal glow. The strange beauty of it was ironic, considering what he'd just learned about her. He wondered if the silvery light hurt her at all.

"It doesn't," she said. She looked over at him and grinned. Jordan blinked.

"I didn't say anything," he protested.

"I know," she replied. She grinned again. "But you're processing this information like any other human – well, _not_ a human – would. So I can guess what you're thinking." Jordan shook his head, rolling his eyes fondly.

"Loki," he said, re-capturing her attention. "Why are your eyes different colors?" She nodded, like she'd been expecting this question, and looked down at her lap.

"Scott's an Alpha," Loki responded, picking at a loose thread on her jacket. She chose her words carefully. "All Alphas have red eyes. Most Betas' eyes are golden." Jordan nodded absent-mindedly, but it was clear that this answer had only fueled further questions.

"So – why _most_? Why are your eyes blue?" There was no answer, and when Jordan looked over at Loki, he saw that her lips were pressed together in a thin line. He backtracked quickly. "You don't have to tell me, if it's personal." Loki snorted.

"It's not personal," she muttered. She sounded disgusted, and Jordan's gut twisted. He had clearly crossed a line.

"Sorry – " he began, but Loki cut him off just as quickly.

"It's not you," she reassured him. "It's just…" Her voice trailed off, and she looked out the window. They had reached her apartment. Unbuckling her seatbelt, she half-turned towards him, one hand on the door handle. "I'm not a good person." Jordan shook his head.

"I don't believe that," he protested. Loki's eyes were shadowed, her lips turned down at the corners. Her slim shoulders were slumped with an invisible weight that Jordan had yet to understand. He realized, with a shock, that this was the first time that Loki hadn't seemed completely put together. Jordan leaned over and took her hand. "Hey. Whatever it is, it's okay. You don't have to tell me, but it doesn't matter." Loki's lip curled into a sneer, and she shook her head again.

"Yes, it does," she said. "I'll tell you one day, if I ever stop being a fucking coward." She laughed humorlessly, and then leaned over and kissed him gently. "I'm sorry," she said, more gently, more like the Loki he knew. "Your whole world just flipped upside down, and here I am being melodramatic." Jordan smiled, brushing her hair out of her face.

"It's okay."

* * *

"Skipping school again, I see?" Jordan greeted Loki as she stepped into the station. She smiled smugly at him.

"Just working on my independent study," she replied, waving a folder at him. Before he could respond to that, Lydia and Stiles entered the station. Stiles spotted her and waved her over. "Just a second," she murmured to Jordan, walking over to her friend. "What's up?" In response, he handed her two pieces of paper.

Loki frowned, studying both of them. They were Dead Pools, so why was Stiles – oh. One of the sheets was a list she'd seen before, but different – Derek's name was missing from it, and his bounty had been added to Liam's, making Liam the fourth most valuable creature on the Dead Pool. And the other list…

As Loki read the names, her blood ran cold. Inhaling sharply, she looked up, and Stile stared at her in concern.

"Loki? You alright?"

"I know – I know these people," she muttered, more to herself than to Stiles. Shaking her head, she snapped out of her reverie and looked him in the eye. "They were all in Eichen – or, I'm guessing. Out of the names I recognize, all of them are people – supernaturals – who committed suicide while in Eichen."

* * *

"Lydia, it's not a library," Stiles reminded his friend. "We need a warrant to get files from there." Lydia shook her head.

"My grandmother left me a list of ten suicides, including her own. There's got to be a reason why."

"You're not serious," Loki said, staring at her two friends. "You're not really planning on going to Eichen, right?"

"Yes!" Lydia insisted. "We need to go back." Loki shook her head slightly, biting her lip, but the Banshee had already moved on. "There has to be someone there who's willing to help us." Stiles's eyes narrowed thoughtfully and he tilted his head.

"Not someone who will help," he mused aloud. "But maybe someone who will be willing to take a bribe."

* * *

Loki stood slightly behind Stiles and Lydia as they negotiated with Brunski, and fervently wished for the twins. She hated being back in this place too much to put into words, but she hadn't wanted to let her friends go alone. It was too dangerous. Although she wasn't sure how much help she'd be in a dangerous situation, considering how frayed her nerves were.

"A thousand dollars," Brunski said, offering a price for the information the three teenagers needed. Stiles stared at the orderly, his mouth hanging open.

"A thou – to use one little key, to open up one little file room? A thousand dollars? Are you out of your mind?" Brunsku chuckled.

"When you get the keys, you make the price." Stiles shook his head.

"Alright," he muttered. The teenager sighed, shaking his head. "You actually think we have that kind of money?"

"I know you don't," he responded. "If you did, Daddy Sherriff would have paid the bill by now." Stiles clenched his jaw, and Brunski jutted his chin at Lydia. "That's why I'm talking to her." Lydia rolled her eyes and dug into her wallet.

"I have five hundred," she muttered, pulling out the cash and tossing it on the table. Brunski surveyed the pile of bills and shook his head stubbornly.

"One thousand," he repeated. Lydia and Stiles exchanged an exasperated look, but before either one of them could argue, Loki stepped forward and tossed another bundle of cash onto the desk.

"There's five hundred more," she muttered, forcing herself to look him in the eye. She tightened her jaw as a shudder of fear went down her spine as he made eye contact with her. "Now give us the damn key."

Brunski raised his eyebrows, smiling in satisfaction as he shuffled the bills. He lifted them to his nose, inhaling deeply and smiling again. He grabbed a ring of keys and shook them up and down so that they jangled together.

"Follow me," he said, standing up. As Loki followed Brunski down the hallway, unwelcome memories began to swirl through her mind, and she closed her eyes as her breath started to come faster, catching in her chest.

Stiles stared at the werewolf next to him in surprise. She was wringing her hands through her thick, curly hair and her shoulders were heaving. A light sheen of sweat covered her face, which was very, very pale.

"Are you okay?" he asked, before recognizing the symptoms. His eyes widened. "Are you having a panic attack?" Loki slammed her fist into her palm and took a deep breath. Her shoulders shuddered as she fought to remain in control.

"I don't know. Maybe. I hate this place." Stiles nodded slowly, and reached out to Loki carefully. Lydia glanced back at her two friends, her brow drawn together in concern.

"Hey. Okay. It's okay. I know, I was here, and it's awful, but – " Loki was shaking her head back and forth rapidly, and when she looked up at him, there was a feverish light in her eyes, and they were glowing with wetness.

"No, you weren't," she whispered. "You weren't at the real Eichen." Stiles stepped back in shock. It was the first time he'd ever seen Loki cry.

"Hey!" Brunski yelled to the teenagers following him. Stiles snapped to attention, and Loki shrunk in on herself farther. The orderly shoved the door open. "Good?" he asked. Stiles cast a nervous look at Loki. She was following him with her arms wrapped around herself carefully.

"Yeah," he said quickly. Upon entering the room, she pressed her back against one of the filing cabinets. Stiles was quickly realizing that her hesitation to coming to Eichen wasn't just nervousness, and he cursed inwardly. "We can help ourselves. Uh, Lydia, you got the list?" The strawberry blonde handed the piece of paper to Stiles and he unfolded it. He frowned as he surveyed the paper, suddenly distracted from what they came to do. "Lydia, why did you write another name here?" Lydia raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't."

"This is your handwriting," Stiles persisted. Lydia shook her head and frowned.

"Why would I write another name?" Stiles shoved the list at his friend, throwing another nervous glance at the werewolf on his right. She made no sign that she was hearing Stiles and Lydia's conversation.

"Why would you write _mine_?" Lydia's eyes widened at the human's question, and she studied the list again. Sure enough, underneath the ten typed names, she had scrawled 'Stiles.' Brunski chuckled darkly from behind them.

"It was the tapes, wasn't it?" he asked, coldly. The teenagers whipped towards the orderly, and Loki hissed under her breath as fear coiled in her stomach.

She watched as Stiles fell to the ground, body twitching from the electricity from the Taser that Brunski held in his hands. Lydia backed away, screaming, her hands pressed over her mouth in horror. Loki watched as Brunski turned towards her other friend, repeated the same shock to the teenage girl.

When Brunski turned on Loki, the werewolf's eyes were glowing blue, and her canines were already elongated. He reached for her, and she lunged at him, scraping her claws down his wrist as she fled the room.

* * *

The receptionist at Eichen House was reading the newspaper when something caught his attention. He blinked, and leaned over the counter to get a better look. His jaw dropped.

"The hell?" he muttered in shock, rubbing his eyes. He watched as a fully-grown wolf loped through the hallways, busting out the door of the facility. Gaping, the orderly stared after the animal, hesitantly reaching for the phone.

After a brief inner struggle, he decided against calling Animal Control. As long as it was gone.

* * *

Loki's feet pounded against the pavement as she ran through the pouring rain. The cold water soaked her pelt, weighing it down around her as she ran. Shaking her pelt fruitlessly, Loki slowed to a stop outside the animal clinic, but in her frenzied state of mind, she couldn't remember why she was there.

Someone was crouching in front of her – two people. Loki assumed it was Ethan and Aiden, and the coil of abject terror in her stomach loosened. As she relaxed, the voice of one of the people in front of her flowed over her. It was convincing her that she was fine, that it was all right for her to shift back – but something about it was off.

As Loki's muscles relaxed and she returned to her human form, she realized dazedly that the people weren't the twins at all. It was Scott and Kira. Loki knelt on the ground, shivering from the cold rain, as the water hit her face and rolled down her cheeks. Not for the first time, the fierce solitude of a wolf that had lost her pack crashed down on her.

* * *

Scott went into the back room to check on Loki. She was wearing some of Kira's extra clothes – Scott's girlfriend had just returned from seeing her mother, so she still had all of her things – but no shoes. Her still-wet hair was tangled, and it dripped onto the thin material of her borrowed shirt.

Scott noticed that on the bottom of Loki's right foot she had a tiny tattoo. He was surprised he'd never noticed it while they were dating, and once he realized what it was, kind of wished he hadn't realized it now. It was the mark of the Alpha Pack, burned onto the arch of her foot. She noticed him staring, and quickly shifted so that the bottom of her foot was facing away from him.

"Guess I'm channeling my inner Kali tonight," she murmured, a poor attempt at a joke. It was something that the twins would have found humor in, but Scott just smiled weakly back at her.

"How are you?" he asked, bypassing her remark. She shrugged.

"I'll be fine once I get a distraction," she muttered, standing up. She brushed her hair from her face, grimacing as her fingers snagged on a knot almost immediately. "Sorry," she whispered, sounding ashamed. Scott shook his head, reaching out to take her hand. He gave it a comforting squeeze.

"Don't worry about it." Loki pulled her hand back from Scott, self-coconsciously aware that his girlfriend was just in the next room. Loki rolled her shoulders back and steeled herself.

"Okay," she said. "Let's go."

* * *

Loki raised her hand, a sound catching her attention. Before she could stop the ancient werewolf, Satomi had whipped out one of her spikes and thrown it. Loki heard the unmistakable voice of Argent shouting in pain as the spike hit him. Brett burst out from behind the curtain, snarling.

"Wait!" Scott yelled, throwing the sheet aside and stepping out into the open after the other werewolf. "Wait. Brett, this is his place, it's his!" The young werewolf backed away, looking a strange mix of mutinous and embarrassed. Argent heaved a sigh, stepping forward as he observed the rest of the pack behind the curtains.

"Scott," he said, sounding slightly irritated. "If you were bringing guests, you could have called." Scott lifted his shoulders, looking chagrined.

"I didn't know where else to take them," he explained. Satomi stepped forward, her eyes locked on Argent's face. She narrowed them slightly, tilting her head as she observed him.

"I know this man," she announced, sounding defensive as she eyed the hunter with suspicion. "He may not remember, but we've met before."

"You can trust him," Loki reassured Satomi. The other werewolf didn't relax.

"How do we know he's not like the others?" She demanded, referring to the ones who she'd been evading just the night before. Argent raised his eyebrows.

"What others?" he asked.

"Last night," Kira explained. "There was a whole team after them. And they used crossbows." Kira pulled an arrow out of her pocket, handing it to Argent for him to examine. The seasoned hunter took it in his hand, studying it.

"They're hunters, aren't they?" Scott asked. Argent shook his head, eyes dark.

"Not if they're killing for profit," he said. "Not anymore." Brett stepped forward from the crowd of werewolves.

"Are we safe here?" He questioned. "Can they find us?" Argent looked up at the young wolf.

"They might already know you're here," he replied. "They might be waiting for dark." Satomi's pack shifted uncomfortably. None of them were fighters, and all of them were afraid.

"So we're not safe here," Kira murmured, looking at Scott.

"We're not safe anywhere," Satomi stated. "We've been trying to get out for days. Everywhere we turn, we find someone new trying to kill us." Argent ignored her, instead looking at the other Alpha in the room.

"If they're coming, Scott, they're coming for you too," he reminded the True Alpha. "You and Loki are still one and two on the Dead Pool."

"Trust me, it hasn't slipped my mind," Loki muttered sarcastically.

"I know," Scott said, more diplomatically. "I know Lydia can get the answer from Meredith, she just needs more time." Argent nodded, his resolve steeling as he observed the pack before him once more.

"Then that's what she'll get."

* * *

Loki watched Satomi's pack from where she stood, next to Derek. Braeden was checking her gun across the room, and Argent was setting motion sensors so that they'd be alerted at the first sign of trouble. Scott walked over to the other two werewolves.

"They'll be okay," he reassured them, referring to the other pack. Derek and Loki exchanged a dubious look.

"They have claws and fangs," Derek responded. "But they're not fighters." He walked over to Braeden, and Scott trailed him.

"That's why I called you."

"Well, try to remember that I don't have claws and fangs either anymore," Derek said. Braeden glanced at him and hefted her gun over her shoulder.

"That's why he called me," she quipped. Kira shook her head, glancing between her friends. Her eyes were still wide with a naive hope.

"Am I the only one still hoping that this is a false alarm?" She asked. "I mean, we could wait here all night and nothing happens. Right?" No one responded to her - no one else believed that.

"Have you heard anything from Stiles or Lydia yet?" Braeden asked. Scott glanced at Loki.

"Lydia's still talking to Meredith," Loki replied. "Stiles and Malia are headed to the lakehouse – they think they know how to stop the Dead Pool."

"What if there is no stopping it?" Brett called. Everyone turned towards him. "What if it doesn't stop until we're all dead?" There was a moment of quiet, before Derek broke the silence.

"Then let's send a message," he said. "Let's make it perfectly clear to anyone with a copy of that list. It doesn't matter if they're professional assassins, hunters, or an amateur who just picked up a gun." Derek motioned to his own sidearm he held in his hand, his eyes steely with determination. "Anyone who thinks they can hunt and kill us for money is going to be put on another list – _our_ list. They get to be a name on our Dead Pool."

* * *

A loud beep caught Loki's attention – the motion sensors. Something hit the ground at her feet and rolled forward – smoke grenade.

"Get back!" Braeden ordered Satomi's pack, just as the sound of gunfire broke through the room. Loki slid behind a wall, wincing as the loud barrage of fire it her sensitive ears. As the attackers moved forward, Loki waited until one of them was close enough for her to grab.

Slinging his gun to the ground, Loki hit the man back behind her wall of cover and slammed his head into the ground, effectively knocking him out.

As another assailant moved towards her, pointing his gun at her head, she dove for his legs. Knocking them out from underneath him, Loki flipped him on the ground and shoved his gun out of reach. He scrambled up again, and she kicked him back, her bare foot stinging as it made contact with the hard metal of his bulletproof vest.

For every person Loki or one of her allies knocked to the ground and incapacitated, another fresh attacker took their place.

"There's too many of them!" Loki heard Braeden yell, and she silently agreed. This was an uphill battle, and they could only hold the attackers off for a matter of time. They could only hope that one of their friends would come through.

Suddenly another sound pierced her ears – a scream of terror. Running towards the source of the noise, Loki found the young girl in Satomi's pack facing off against a hunter. Her eyes were closed, tears tracing down her cheeks as the attacker pointed his gun at her, the red dot shining on the center of her forehead.

Before Loki could react, Scott had lunged forward and knocked the attacker aside, pinning him down and dragging him away. Scott's growls filled the small enclosure, and Loki ran to the girl's side, pulling her up and pushing her in front. Loki stayed behind the girl, knowing that her senses were less attuned than Loki's, and she'd likely forget to check behind her as they moved through the battle zone.

"Go," she ordered, prompting her through the fray and back towards the rest of her pack. Brett saw the girl and called out to her, pulling her into a fierce hug. Loki watched the two embrace, and her eyes widened as a red dot appeared on Brett's back.

"Get down!" she shouted, tackling them as a deluge of bullets sprayed over their heads. Springing to her feet, Loki ducked the punch thrown by the attacker, this time a woman. Loki slung her back, shoving her into a wall and held her their, one hand wrapped around her neck.

As Loki pinned the woman to the wall by her throat, a silence fell over the room, broken only by the buzzing of cell phones. Loki watched as the other attackers lowered their guns and backed away, and she snarled at the woman in front of her.

Stepping back, Loki allowed her to fall to the ground, gasping as she massaged her throat. Loki's shoulders were heaving as she breathed heavily, her heart rate slowly decreasing as the adrenaline drained from her veins. The hunter blinked up at her, eyes wide with fear.

"Get lost," Loki muttered, turning back towards Brett and his sister.

* * *

Scott drove Loki home. As the two whipped along the empty roads, Loki was glad that he had a dirt bike and not a car. It was hard to talk while riding on a noisy machine back to front instead of side by side. But when they got to Loki's apartment, Scott didn't let her leave without talking.

"Loki," he said as she turned to leave. She looked back at him, carefully pressing one barefoot on top of another to warm them up. "Are you sure you're okay?" Loki nodded. "Why…what happened tonight?" Loki blinked, looking up at the sky. It was clearing, and she could see some of the stars and the moon through the thin, vaporous cover.

"The huntress who attacked me a few days ago was my aunt," she said. Scott's eyes widened, but he didn't interrupt. "She blames me for my parents deaths – she thinks that if I'd just gotten out of their lives and gone with the Alpha right away, they'd still be alive. And she's probably right."

"Loki, it wasn't your fault." The werewolf shrugged, sitting next to Scott as she spoke.

"Maybe not. I've tried to stop blaming myself. But that's not the point here. The point is, when I was bitten, my mom made her side of the family promise not to hurt me. I was still her daughter, she said. When she died, most of them were content enough to quietly hate me. But Jay tracked me down. She didn't want to hurt me herself, she loved my mom too much to break a promise to her, but she had Eichen lock me up."

"How did they contain you?" Scott asked, confused.

"Eichen's true purpose is to house out of control supernatural creatures," Loki responded. "At the time I fit the bill, and to some people in there, I still do." She looked down at her hands. "It's terrifying in there. I thought I'd be able to handle it if I went back, but I couldn't."

"It's okay," he told her. He hesitated, wondering if now was the appropriate time to ask the other question he wanted to hear the answer to. As usual, Loki knew what he was thinking.

"Spit it out, Scott," she said. He laughed.

"Why did you want to ask Deucalion about Parrish?" he asked. "Last time you saw him you wanted nothing to do with him." Loki nodded.

"Yeah," she agreed. "I didn't. Still don't, really, but…" she stood from her seat, standing with her back to Scott. "I never killed for Deucalion," she reminded Scott. He waited patiently for her to continue. When she turned towards him, her eyes were far away. "But I think he may have killed for me."

* * *

 **um yeah. so i hope it's not too unclear in this chapter but loki isn't like unhappy in scott's pack. she just misses her old friends...and in my mind the twins are her anchor(s) so that's why she got so sad right after she lost control cuz they weren't actually there.**

 **anyways, i kind of struggled with this chapter (lol what else is new) because i had two storylines i was choosing from to follow, and i chose this one even tho i like the other one better for reasons i can't explain bc spoilers for my plans for the next season but i hope this is okay.**

 **please leave a review and let me know what you think!**

 **thanks :)**


	16. A Promise to the DeadSmoke and Mirrors

**Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf.**

* * *

Loki's phone buzzed against her thigh, and she pulled it out of her pocket. It was a text from Malia.

 **Malia: are you coming tonight?**

Loki bit her lip guiltily. It was a big lacrosse game for her friends, and she felt bad about not being there to support them, but she had other stuff to do that night. She hesitated, and then typed out her response.

 **Loki: sorry. Tell them good luck for me.**

Shutting off her phone and turning back to her companion, Loki raised her eyebrows at her unusual company. The experienced werewolf hunter was checking his gun to make sure that it was loaded, but he looked up at Loki and saw her inquisitive gaze.

"What's wrong?" Argent asked, turning back to the weapon in his hands. She shook her head.

"Nothing," she responded. "But you still haven't told me how we're planning on finding your sister. Or why you asked me to help instead of Scott." Argent picked something up from beside it and examined it closely before tossing it to Loki. She caught it easily, and turned it over in her hands. It was a bone from a Berserker.

"Scott has a lacrosse game tonight," Argent replied. "I decided he needed a break from stuff like this – just for a night." Loki nodded, catching Argent's implied meaning. He knew that for all Scott's good-heartedness and selflessness when it came to protecting the humans and supernaturals of Beacon Hills, Scott really just wanted to be a teenager. Loki, on the other hand… "And besides," Argent continued. "I've heard you have quite the reputation as a good tracker, and I'm not sure Scott could track something as challenging as this."

"You want me to track your sister from this?" Loki asked, frowning. "This will lead us to the Berserker, not to Kate. If she's as smart as you say she is, she'll know that, and she'll have sent this particular Berserker back to – wherever – and found a new one to serve as her subjugate in its place." Argent nodded.

"You're right," he agreed with the werewolf. "But I don't want you to track the Berserker." He took the bone back from the girl and ran his finger along it. "This bone has traces of calcium hydroxide." He turned his fingertip out so Loki could see the faint gloss of white residue there. Argent looked at the girl. "You know what it's used for, right?" Loki shrugged, and then nodded.

"Something to do with pipes, right?" Argent nodded, handing the bone back to her.

"You think you can figure out which drain this came from?" Loki's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"I can try."

* * *

Loki opened the manhole cover, eyeing the tunnel uneasily. She glanced at the hunter next to her.

"I think this is it," she responded, keeping her voice quiet so it wouldn't echo down the hole. She moved to descend, but the man caught her arm.

"Let me go first," he requested. Shrugging, Loki stepped back, allowing the hunter to move in. Following him down the rungs of the ladder, she tried to soften the fall of her feet so that they wouldn't make any noise. She wasn't exactly sure of who – or what – was waiting for them, but she didn't want to tempt fate and alert them to their presence prematurely.

Loki's feet touched cement, and she took her hands off the rusted metal rungs, wiping them absentmindedly on the side of her jeans. Argent beckoned her forward, and she slid after him, following him around the corner of the drain. Water dripped down from the ceiling, hitting Loki's head and rolling down her spine. Loki's eyes were drawn to the ground next to her.

Squatting down, Loki reached into the water, which was only a few inches deep, and fished out a bone. She glanced up at Argent, who was bending down for a better look, and handed him the bone. As he examined it, the back of Loki's neck prickled. She stood up, glaring at Peter in front of them and shifting into an automatic defensive stance.

Despite not having werewolf reflexes, years of hunting meant that Argent noticed Peter only ever-so-slightly after Loki, and his gun was already snapped up in a defensive position as he stared the werewolf down.

"How did you find her?" Argent demanded, meaning Kate, of course. Peter smirked.

"Keen sense of smell," he drawled in reply. His eyes slid to Loki. "You?" Argent pulled out the Berserker bone the two had used to track.

"This came out of Scott's side," he responded. "There are traces of calcium hydroxide on it – it's used by water treatment plants as an anti-corrosive. Loki helped me find the correct storm drain." Peter raised his eyebrows, nodding in a captivated manner.

"That's very impressive," he told the hunter. Then, looking around in mock-concern, he continued. "I wonder if one of them might still be around…"

A growl and the harsh smell of a Berserker alerted Loki to the presence behind her – but not in time. It closed its claws around her throat, cutting her gasp of surprise short and lifting her in the air so that her feet dangled a foot off the ground. Loki scrabbled at the claw clamped around her neck, choking for air. The Berserker was stronger than her, and all of her attempts to escape were fruitless.

Argent's eyes narrowed, and he lifted his gun to point it at the Berserker. He aimed carefully, not wanting to hit Loki, and his finger curled around the trigger. He pulled back, and loud gunshots echoed throughout the small space.

The Berserker howled as the bullets hit it, more out of anger than pain, and threw Loki aside. Anticipating this, Loki managed to catch herself before she hit the ground, and only stumbled slightly before leaping at the Berserker again.

Jumping onto its back, Loki caught it in a chokehold, applying pressure to the exposed throat of the creature. She tried not to flinch as she realized that the gap in the armor exposed human skin. Forcing herself to focus, Loki dug her claws into its throat. As she did so, it shook itself, trying to shake her off its back. Argent took the Berserker's momentary distraction to shoot at it again.

The creature snapped its paw out, grabbing the gun and tossing it away. With its other hand, it plucked Loki from its back and tossed her against the wall of the drain. Loki's head cracked against the hard cement, and she hit the ground, eyes rolling back into her head.

Peter watched, lips pursed in a faux-concerned manner as the Berserker focused its attention on Argent, taking the hunter and slamming him against the wall several times. Peter walked over to Loki, examining her critically.

"Well," he said to her prone, unconscious body in a conversational manner. "I wish I didn't have to do this to you, but I can't have you waking up and helping Argent out of here with a little werewolf strength." Peter knelt beside the teenage girl and gripped her neck, holding it a few inches off the ground. Then, with sudden viciousness, he slammed it into the ground several times in quick succession.

Argent gasped as he watched the Peter assault the younger werewolf. Blood quickly bloomed out of Loki's head, probably from several different open injuries. Peter clicked his tongue, examining his handiwork.

"Yes, that will probably do it," he murmured, standing. He turned to Argent, meeting the man's glare with a self-satisfied smirk.

"Why…" Argent whispered. "She wouldn't have done anything." Peter rolled his eyes, sneering.

"I know. Loki's a coward – she wouldn't have had the stomach to kill me, even with motivation." Peter brandished the rebar in his hands at Argent, stepping forward. "But…she would have helped you when she woke up. The wounds are severe enough that they won't heal for a little while after she regains consciousness, and the pain will keep her from concentrating enough to shift, even just for strength." Peter's eyes were half-closed as both he and Argent stared at the teenage girl on the ground. He'd clearly thought everything through. A dark puddle of blood was pooling around her head like a sanguinary halo.

"That is," Peter added, turning back towards Argent, a sadistic smirk plastered on his face. " _If_ she regains consciousness."

* * *

When Loki came to, she was still sprawled across the ground, and her head hurt like a bitch. Her hair was sticky with blood. She groaned, carefully touching her head and wincing at how swollen it felt. That, plus the fact that it hadn't healed yet, and the fact that the room was spinning around her as she maneuvered into a sitting position, alerted her to how severe the wound, or wound _s,_ were. She doubted she'd still be alive if she were human. Blinking a couple times to try to adjust her eyes, Loki looked around. Her eyes popped open when she saw Argent.

At first glance the hunter appeared to just be leaning against the wall. Then Loki noticed the tang in the air, and saw the blood coating his lips and hands – and noticed the puddle of it at his feet. Looking for the source of his injury, she stifled a gasp when she realized how he was injured. Someone – either Peter or the Berserker, or possibly Kate – had taken a piece of rebar and had driven it through Argent's stomach and into the wall, and then bent it sideways so that he couldn't move.

"Argent," Loki gasped, pushing herself up. She lurched forward, stomach turning as the room swirled around her. She gagged, pressing a hand over her mouth and fighting against the pain. The hunter gave no response to her call of his name, and for a terrible second, Loki thought he was dead. She forced herself to focus despite the throbbing in her head, and noticed with relief the rise and fall of his chest.

Loki took another wobbly step forward, and this time her legs gave out beneath her. Before she could fall again, someone grabbed her and pulled her back to her feet.

"Loki," Jordan said, a note of panic in his voice as he stared from her to Argent. He helped her over to the wall, and she placed her hands against the stone, steadying herself.

"They're gone," she whispered, using one hand to cradle her aching head. She pointed to the human across from her. "Help – help me help _him_." Jordan nodded, walking over to the hunter. Loki walked behind him as quickly as possible, but the ground slanted beneath her feet and made it difficult to walk quickly. When they reached him, Argent's eyes slid open.

"How long have you been like this?" Jordan asked the hunter.

"I don't know," Argent murmured. "Might have…might've blacked out a few times." His words were slurred with exhaustion and agony, and his eye kept slipping shut.

"Peter Hale did this?" Jordan asked. Loki nodded, and then grimaced when the movement hurt.

"Were you following him?" Argent asked. Jordan nodded.

"Every day since Meredith Walker."

"Listen to me," the hunter said, suddenly motivated. "Kate's going after Scott. Peter _and_ Kate. You've got to warn them." Jordan shook his head, eyes narrowed with confusion and panic.

"I can't. There's no service down here."

"Then just go," he insisted. Jordan shook his head.

"If I leave now, you'll be dead by the time I get back." Argent didn't reply, but he let his eyes drift shut. Jordan's own eyes narrowed with determination. "We're getting you out of here."

* * *

Loki wrapped her hands around the bar pulling as hard as she could. It wasn't budging, and all of her movement just seemed to make Argent's pain worse. His screams certainly made Loki's head ring with pain.

Grunting, Loki let go, stumbling back. Jordan steadied her again.

"I'm sorry," she gasped out, to Argent. "I'm sorry. I don't…what's wrong with me?" Loki muttered, struggling to stand up straight.

"The pain is keeping you human," Argent told her, voice hoarse. "Peter did it on purpose." Loki closed her eyes, fiery anger burning in her stomach. The hunter shook his head. "Just go…leave."

"No," Loki and Jordan said at the same time. Argent raised his head at them, and the deputy continued.

"I know you're hurt and tired. But you need to help us. If – if all three of us work together, we can get you out of here." Argent shook his head.

"I've got nothing," he whispered. "I've got nothing left." His words held a heartbreaking double meaning. "Just go."

"No way," Loki said, opening her eyes completely. "Not without you." She set her jaw stubbornly, and forced herself to stand up straight. She stared at the hunter in front of her, momentarily ignoring the aching pain and the blood dripping in her eyes. "You need adrenaline," she said, suddenly, looking from Jordan to the Argent.

"There's two ways to get it," Jordan agreed, picking up on Loki's train of thought. "Fear, and anger. Since you don't look like a guy who's afraid of anything, you need to get angry. You need to get so angry, that your brain lets loose every bit of adrenaline that it has." Argent shook his head.

"I'm too tired to be angry," he murmured. Loki squeezed her eyes shut.

"Okay," she said, mostly to herself. She took a deep breath. "Listen to me, let me tell you something." Argent forced his head up and looked at the young werewolf in front of him. Her eyes were suddenly dark and cold, like two pieces of icy flint. "Allison is dead," Loki whispered, her voice suddenly malicious and callous. "And you know what? It's my fault. You want to blame someone for your daughter's death? Blame. _Me_." Loki used every ounce of persuasion she had.

"You saved my friends from a hunter," Loki continued, her voice hardly over a whisper. "And how did I repay you? I didn't go to help my friends – your daughter. She died that night. And what happened the night after that? Aiden should have died, but I saved him." Loki leaned forward, locking eyes with the hunter in front of her. He was staring at her, and Loki could tell that it was working. His eyes were more alert now, and cold with a familiar emotion. As Loki spoke, focusing on something else besides her own pain, she could feel the agony in her head ebbing. She, too, was starting to heal. "Allison could still be alive today. I didn't save your daughter," Loki whispered, her eyes empty of emotion. _But I'm going to save you._

Jordan stared at Loki in utter shock. He knew that Loki was convincing, that she could lie well, but he'd never seen such an obvious display of it before. The Loki he knew was not this angry, this malicious, or this cold. But the way she slipped into the persona that easily...

Loki grabbed on to the rebar, and she felt Jordan's arms around her, also gripping the bent metal. Argent wrapped his own hands around the bar as well. As the bar bent back, Loki realized something was different this time. Even with all three of them, the bar shouldn't be moving back this fast.

Tilting her head back, Loki locked eyes with Jordan. Instead of their usual pale green, his eyes were glowing a vibrant orange.

* * *

The SUVs pulled up at la Iglesia, and Loki poked her head out the window, heart pumping. She couldn't see any of her friends, but she did see Kate. The hunters jumped out of the cars, calling to each other in Spanish as gunshots rang out. Ignoring Jordan's call, Loki began to run towards the church, but something caught her attention. The smell of blood.

Turning, Loki jumped over a low stonewall and ran to the figure who was propped against it. Derek. She knelt next to him, eyes wide as she stared at the wound on his stomach. He was bleeding out...which was odd, because he was a werewolf. He should heal from the wound. Loki couldn't smell any wolfsbane or other kind of infection in the wound.

"You're not healing," she realized, eyes wide. She remembered distantly that Scott had mentioned something about Derek changing after he'd been de-aged, but she only now knew the full effects of it. He rolled his eyes at her, somehow still managing to look sarcastic in his last few moments.

Loki took Derek's hand, squeezing it comfortingly. He gripped back, his hands icy cold already.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "For everything." Derek nodded, his eyes flickering closed. A soft thump made Loki's eyes fly open, and she turned to see Braeden. Relaxing, Loki turned back to the other werewolf, and Braeden knelt on his other side.

"Derek," she whispered. His eyes opened again, and he turned towards his girlfriend. He smiled at her briefly, his eyes soft. His head fell back and his eyes closed for the last time. "Derek?" Braeden asked again, blinking rapidly as her face crumpled. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she cradled Derek's head gently.

Loki rocked back on her heels, still holding Derek's hand in a vice grip, even as his grip on her had obviously slackened. She shook her head, still dazed even as, after a few moments of quiet mourning, Braeden managed to stand and move slightly away from Derek to fire at the Berserker. Loki could sense Braeden's unadulterated rage as she shot at the creature, but even that didn't motivate the werewolf didn't move from Derek's side.

Because – something didn't seem right. Derek didn't seem – dead. Even though he wasn't moving, and he wasn't breathing, and his heart wasn't beating…and then, just as Loki was convincing herself that Derek was _indeed_ dead, she heard a quiet, slow _thump_.

His heart was beating. Very, _very_ slowly. But even as Loki listened, it began to pick up again, get faster.

"Braeden," Loki whispered, as she watched Derek. The mercenary didn't hear her. Derek's eyes opened, and his head shot up, eyes glowing blue. He bent forward, with a gasp, transforming right before Loki's eyes.

A howl split the air as Derek's body shrunk and changed into that of a fully transformed, fully evolved werewolf. Loki stepped back, and Derek launched himself over the wall, loping towards Kate.

Braeden whipped around, looking back towards where Derek's body had lain moments before. The only person there now was Loki, eyes wide with shock and relief. She could hear a wolf growling and Kate yelling in pain and surprise. Loki stood up, eyes bright as she watched Derek shift back to human effortlessly.

"You were…you were dead," Kate whispered in disbelief. Derek smiled.

"No," he replied. "I was evolving. Something you'll never do." The Berserker lunged towards Derek, and this time Loki reacted. She sprang forward from behind the wall, grabbing the Berserker's skull between her hands, and she squeezed. Golden light bloomed out between her fingers as the body of the creature dissolved into dust, leaving only the skull in Loki's hands.

Kate scrambled away, desperate to save her own life. Before she got far, a shot rang out, clipping her in the shoulder. Kate fell to her knees, turning to see the face of her attacker. Of all people, it was her own older brother. Argent stared at his sister, eyes hard with remorse and resolve.

"Chris," she whispered, disbelieving. There was a charged moment of silence where no one made any move, despite the fact that Kate was defenseless and injured on the ground. After a moment, she regained her composure just enough to shove herself to her feet and run away.

Loki ran too – into the church.

* * *

By the time Loki reached her friends, they'd already won the fight. Scott had been saved from the Berserker's armor, and then he'd defeated Peter. In order to keep him docile for the trip back, Argent volunteered the wolfsbane he'd brought for his sister.

"There's enough to keep him out for the trip back," he told them as the sun rose over the church. Loki was standing next to Scott and Kira, their other friends just behind the trio. "But be careful." Scott didn't respond to this, instead focusing his gaze beyond Argent, on the other hunters.

"You're really going with them?" Scott asked.

"I made a deal with the Calaveras weeks ago," Argent told them calmly. "They'll leave you alone – all of you. But only if I help them catch Kate."

"What if you can't?" Kira asked. He smiled gently at the Kitsune, looking slightly wistful.

"I'll find her," he said, reassuringly. "Someone has to." He turned to leave, but before he could go far, Loki stepped forward, calling after him.

"Chris – " she called. "I don't think I've ever told you this," Loki began, nervously. "But I am sorry for – not only what I said two nights ago, but also for not being there. For not being there to save her." Argent smiled at her gently.

"Just because it made me angry to hear you say it, doesn't mean I blame you," he told her. Loki blinked in surprise. "'The past cannot be changed, forgotten, edited, or erased. It can only be accepted,'" he quoted. Loki smiled, recognizing the proverb. Argent hesitated, and then reached out, offering Loki his hand. She shook it.

"Good luck," she told him. He nodded, smiling again, and then he turned to leave for real. Jordan walked over to Loki, wrapping an arm around her waist. He seemed nervous, probably due to the fact that there were other people around, but he didn't pull away.

"Guessing you don't want me to mention that to my dad," Stiles muttered in Loki's ear, loud enough for the deputy to hear him and stiffen. Loki punched the teenager on the chest, hard enough to make him cough as he rubbed his sternum.

"Don't you dare," she threatened good-naturedly, as all of them turned to watch the hunters and Derek and Braeden drive away in opposite directions.

* * *

"Jordan," Loki said, leaning against his desk. "Can I talk to you?" He looked up at her, widening his eyes in mock-concern.

"Don't like the sound of that," he teased, and she shoved his shoulder, laughing. She dug into her bag and pulled out a hardback book.

"Lydia gave me this," she told him, turning it over in her hands. "It used to be a hard drive, apparently, but they decided it would be a good idea to have a hard copy." She handed it to him, and he put it on his desk, adjusting the lamp so it shone directly onto the blank cover.

"What is it?" He asked.

"It's called a bestiary," she said, opening it with a smile. The page it opened on was one about kanimas. "Whatever you are," Loki told him, lowering her voice. "It might be in here." Jordan's eyebrows creased, and Loki smiled. She glanced around, and then leaned in to kiss him quickly. "I'd like to help you figure it out," she told him, voice quiet. Jordan smiled back.

"I can live with that."

* * *

A few months later, the bell rang on the last day of junior year. Most kids sped out of the building, eager to start their summer vacation and leave school behind. But Loki took her time walking through the building. When she finally reached the parking lot, most of her friends had gone – except for Scott. He was sitting on his dirt bike, right next to Loki's motorcycle, fiddling with his helmet in his lap.

"Hey," Loki said, leaning over. She smiled slightly, but it dropped off her face when she noticed his expressions "Uh-oh. Is something wrong?"

"You're leaving," Scott responded, eyes squinted with concern. "You're leaving too?" Loki knew he was thinking of Kira too, who was going back to New York for the summer. Loki smiled at the Alpha gently.

"Scott, it's summer break," she reminded him. His expression cleared and relaxed.

"So you're coming back, then?" He prompted, wanting to hear her say it out loud. Loki smiled, sat down on her bike and picked up her helmet. Scott leaned toward her, eyes persistent. "Loki."

"I'm not sure yet," she admitted, looking up. "I need – I need to get some things done. I think I can get them done by the beginning of next school year, but if not…" she trailed off, letting Scott fill in the blanks. The Alpha scowled.

"Are you going to London?" He asked. "To see the twins?" Loki shook her head, a flicker of regret crossing her face.

"I wish," she said. "But that's not on the agenda – that's something I want to do, not something I need to do." Scott nodded again.

"Will you let me know, at least?" He asked, voice small. "If you don't come back?" Loki's lips turned up and she nodded.

"Of course," she whispered. She leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Scott wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly, and she returned the embrace. Scott's hand rose to her hair, and he stroked it gently. After a moment, she pulled away, clearing her throat. "I need to go see Jordan," she added. "Before I leave." Scott nodded.

"Good-bye," he said. Loki turned and smiled at him one last time before flipping down the visor of her helmet.

"Good luck, Scott."

* * *

In a cell at Eichen House, on the secret level made specifically for supernaturals, a teenage girl hung, suspended by three chains. One went around each wrist, and a third around her forehead, like a crown. The chains were locked at the ceiling, but also at the ground. They held her up just enough so that her toes brushed the ground.

Each manacle was studded along the outside with screws that had been drilled through the thick cuffs so that the pointy ends of the screws surrounded the inside of the cuffs, were the wrist goes. The shackle around the head was the same.

Someone had drilled the screws into the skin and bone of the girl's wrists and head. No matter which way she moved, the chain on the ceiling or the chain on the floor would tighten and provide further pressure to the screws embedded into her body. Blood oozed out of each puncture wound. It was darker than red – an odd blackish color.

Just outside the thick glass wall of the cell, another girl passed by. Her hair was wet and tangled, and she was dressed in a robe and loose gray clothes – the standard outfit of an Eichen patient. Lydia Martin looked a little worse for wear – her eyes were vacant and staring, and her skin was deathly pale. She didn't look to the girl in the cell, or any of the other occupants in the cells around, but the girl in the cell looked out at the Banshee with great interest.

She had just enough of her mind left to recognize Lydia, but she couldn't make herself call out. The other teenager struggled to lift head high enough to watch the Banshee pass, wincing as the change of position caused greater pressure on the manacles, and fresh blood ran down her face. She hissed in pain, struggling against her bonds to get another look at the other girl as she blinked blood out of her eyes.

"Hey!" Cross, one of the nurses escorting Lydia paused to bang on the glass of the cell. "Don't make me come in there," she warned. In response, the girl in the cell fell limp again, bowing her head. "That's better."

Time passed. The girl had no idea how much time – minutes, hours, even days – but suddenly a scream pierced her sensitive ears. Wincing, she moved instinctively to press her hands over her ears, only to let out a shriek of her own as the screws dug further into her skin. She felt one of the screws hit a bone, causing a familiar, dull ache to radiate down her wrist all the way to her elbow.

To the girl's surprise, Lydia was suddenly in her view again. This was odd, she usually only saw Lydia on the way to and from the showers, twice a day. But here she was again.

The Banshee seemed to be running from something, but as she passed the girl's cell, she slowed down. Lydia paused, pressing a hand against the glass of the cell. Her eyes were still distant, but not as empty as they'd been before. The girl in the cell shook her head, wincing as the pull of the nails caused her head to ring in pain.

"Go. Just – go," she hissed. Lydia backed away, blinking, and then turned to run again. She let her head bow forward again slightly so the floor chain and the ceiling chain were both _slightly_ slackened. She closed her eyes, listening for Lydia's every move. She could hear the Banshee screaming again and again as she fought off her assailants.

Lydia screamed again, but this time it was different. A short, cut-off cry of pain. The girl's eyes flew open, and she strained against the chains, gasping in pain again as more blood ran down her wrists and forehead, matting her hair close to her skull. Another shout of pain, a crackle of electricity…the girl knew what they were doing to Lydia. She closed her eyes to listen harder.

" _Please, I have to tell them."_ She could hear Lydia beg. " _They're all going to die…my friends. They're all going to die."_

The werewolf in the cell opened her eyes, and the glowed blue. Throwing her head back despite the pain of the manacles, Loki howled, answering the desperate call of her pack mate.

* * *

 **this chapter is really rough i'm sorry**

 **anyways, that's season 4 (an a lil bit of season 5 :))**

 **please leave a review! i love getting any and all feedback.**


	17. Creatures of the NightParasomnia

**Sorry for the long wait!**

 **To wayneximoff: hehe :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf, only Loki.**

* * *

"Tighten them," a voice said. Loki closed her eyes, bracing herself for the impending agony. Her teeth, sharper than normal, dug into the soft skin of her bottom lip as one of the orderlies began to twist the screws around the manacles. Stifling a shriek of pain, Loki instinctively flinched away, only to be aggressively pulled back into position by the person speaking. He let the orderly continue for several more agonizing minutes as Loki felt warm, sticky liquid run down her wrists. The tang of blood and infection made her gag. "That's enough."

Loki cracked her eyes open to see Valack in front of her. He smiled with fake sympathy at her, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Don't…don't hurt her," Loki mumbled, dazed with pain. Her eyes slipped shut again, exhaustion taking over even as she tried to fight it. "Leave Lydia alone." As she fell unconscious, Loki was distantly aware that Valack was responding, but she couldn't hear his words.

Maybe it was for the better.

* * *

* _FLASHBACK*_

The sides of the virtually empty road flashed by as Loki whipped through the streets leading her back to Beacon Hills. She'd heard something about a major traffic jam coming from the airport, and she was happy to have avoided that. The smooth, if loud, hum of her motorcycle was soothing to her, but not enough to squish the anticipation she felt as she drove closer and closer to Beacon Hills.

After three months of a frustratingly fruitless search, Loki was returning to Beacon Hills, still in the dark about Deucalion's whereabouts. She was also no closer to locating the rest of her family, either the Druids or the hunters. Not that she'd looked particularly hard for her mom's side, who she guessed would shoot her on sight, but still.

Loki was a tracker as a wolf, and had honed hunter instincts as a human. Not finding someone or something she'd set her mind to find after _three months_ of looking was frustrating to her. Immensely so.

Scowling to herself, Loki revved the engine, kicking the speed up a notch. It wasn't that she was so eager to return to the empty penthouse, or even the small, supernatural-infested little town so much as she missed her friends.

Almost – _almost –_ as much as she missed the twins. Which had surprised her. She had expected to miss Jordan and even Lydia, and of course Scott, but she had been startled when she found herself wistfully thinking of Kira's awkward, winsome presence, or missing Stiles's harebrained, sarcastic comments and spastic episodes. Loki expected that she wouldn't be seeing Derek again, and with a twinge of guilt, she was relieved. By the time they'd parted ways, Loki and Derek had reached a comfortable respect for one another, but Loki still found it difficult to be around him without thinking of the two dead Betas – _his_ Betas – that she'd helped to torture and imprison.

Loki probably would have continued to drift away in her thoughts until she reached the penthouse, but something gave her pause. Slowing the bike down, Loki flipped the visor of her helmet up to look closely at the cruiser parked on the side of the street in front of a decrepit mausoleum of a house. Sure enough, it was Jordan's.

Pulling over, Loki tugged her helmet off completely, debating as she chewed her bottom lip. Obviously she _shouldn't_ go in, because just because this house looked abandoned didn't mean it was, and she doubted Jordan would appreciate her breaking and entering, even if it was to see him. But still…something made her uneasy. .

Standing up, Loki took a hesitant step forward. Just as she'd made up her mind to wait for Jordan to come out the wind changed directed and blew towards her, fanning an all-too-familiar scent across her face.

Blood.

* * *

Loki burst into the mansion, which was even creepier on the inside. A chandelier was sprawled across the floor, and about an inch of dust covered the entire room. Loki dropped her eyes to the floor, studying the tracks that had been left there. One set of footprints, led down to the basement, and the other led back up. The set of footsteps leading down was treaded like a boot, but the other set was clearly someone who hadn't been wearing shoes.

Possibly Jordan…if he'd burned through his clothes again. But no, the bare feet looked bigger than the shoe prints, and that couldn't be right, not if it was the same person. Creeping down the rickety stairs, Loki strained her ears for anything. She could hear harried breathing, and the smell of blood was stronger as she moved closer to the bottom floor.

"Jordan?" She whispered, moving a little faster. She reached the end of the stairs and saw him slumped against some metal shelves. Her heartbeat thudded in fear. His shirt was open, and he had a few long scratches on his chest that were smoking. His eyes were flickering. "Jordan!" Loki rushed to his side, placing a hand on his face hesitantly. He opened his eyes halfway, and a smile flickered briefly across his face when he saw her.

"Loki?" He mumbled, head-lolling.

"Loki!" Someone grabbed her arm, and Loki instinctively wrenched it free and whirled around. The Sherriff was behind her, holding his gun and flashlight. Loki slapped her hand over her chest, her heart pounding. She wasn't used to being snuck up on.

"God!" She said. "You startled me." He ignored her, bending over his deputy with wide eyes. He took note of the young man's unconscious state, and the bloody slashes on his chest.

"Help me," he ordered her.

* * *

Loki followed Melissa and Stilinski into the morgue. They carefully hefted the deputy's body onto the table.

"You said you were going to keep him on desk duty!" the nurse said accusingly as she surveyed the deputy's wounds anxiously.

"It was a minor noise complaint," the Sherriff muttered defensively, rubbing his temples. Loki stepped up to the deputy's side, taking his hand and squeezing. The Sherriff rolled his eyes at that, looking away, his disapproval clear. Loki didn't care.

"Well, he's not on fire," Loki murmured. She shrugged. "Maybe it's part of his healing process."

"I don't suppose you figured out what he is during your three month long absence?" Stilinski asked. Loki shook her head, smiling ruefully.

"Not a clue." Jordan jerked upwards suddenly, yanking his arm from Loki's grasp. The Sherriff reacted quickly, pulling Mellissa back and pointing his gun at Jordan. Clenching her jaw, Loki stepped in between the deputy and the two humans. She watched as Jordan's chest heaved as he fought to control himself, eyes glowing a bright orange.

"It's okay," Loki said, both to him and to the Sherriff. Out of her peripheral vision, she could see Melissa nudging Stilinski's gun down. Jordan blinked and the color in his eyes faded. Loki stepped closer to him, taking his hand again. She touched the side of his face gently, and he covered her hand with his own. "Okay?"

Jordan carefully extracted his hand from her grip, and raised a hand to his exposed chest. The slashes had healed, leaving nothing but a few bloody smears behind. He placed his hand across the previously wounded area, and his eyes widened suddenly, as though he'd just remembered something important.

"Scott," he said, looking up quickly. "We need to find Scott."

* * *

"His claws were different." Jordan continued to describe the unknown creature that had attacked him. "Twice the size of Scott's – more like… _talons."_

"Well, if that's the worse part, that doesn't sound too bad," Melissa commented. Jordan shook his head in disagreement. He wasn't finished yet.

"It's worse," he said. "They did something to me. I don't know how to describe it other than it felt as if the life was being drawn out of me through them. Through the claws."

"And now he's going after Scott," Loki said, cradling her chin in her hand thoughtfully. Her eyes were narrowed with concern and concentration, worried about her friend. Jordan nodded.

"Which got me thinking about what this guy can do," he continued. "The rule is that you have to kill an Alpha to steal their power, right?"

"But it's different for Scott," Melissa argued, looking at Loki for clarification. She nodded.

"You can't steal a True Alpha's power." Jordan shook his head.

"I think this guy can." Loki exhaled slowly, scowling. This didn't make sense. There was a natural order to the supernatural world, and whatever this creature was, it was messing with it. It bothered her. It bothered her a lot.

" _Loki,"_ a voice hissed. She turned her head, and saw Liam Dunbar lurking by the door. He widened his eyes at her, indicating that he'd heard the conversation inside the morgue, and she nodded.

"I'm going," Loki said, turning to leave. Melissa nodded, her shoulders relaxing slightly. Loki was nothing if not experienced in this area.

"They're at the – "

"High school," Loki finished. "It's Senior Scribe night." Loki's mouth twisted into a smile as she anticipated seeing her friends again. "I know."

* * *

Loki turned into the school parking lot aggressively fast, and she felt Liam's arms tighten around her as his heartbeat spiked, jumping up a few notches. But she didn't have time to apologize for her risky driving. Slamming on the brakes too abruptly, Liam's balance stuttered again behind her. Managing to jump off her bike and steady the young Beta at the same time, Loki whipped her helmet off and began to speak.

"I'll find Scott," she ordered Liam. Warm rainwater slicked down her face and she blinked a few times to dispel droplets from her eyes. "Go find Stiles and Malia, okay?" Liam nodded, and took off towards the main building. Loki took a deep breath, and closed her eyes, casting her hearing out as far as it would go.

The sounds of fighting were clear…but where were they from? Loki's eyes snapped open, and she took off towards the overhang where they'd fought the Oni. Loki remembered Aiden laying across the ground, dark blood staining his lips, and she shuddered. Shaking those thoughts off, Loki ran down the stairs, splashing through ankle deep puddles.

When she reached the overhang, Loki saw Scott and Kira fighting against a tall figure with glowing blue claws. Just as she arrived, another person dropped to the ground in front of her. The scent that she could barely catch through the rain was unfamiliar, but he was definitely a werewolf. Something about his smell was odd though, wrong in a way that Loki couldn't understand. He rushed at the other creature, using the wall as a springboard and slashing at the man's face.

Loki came in from the other side, thrusting her claws into the enemy creature's back. He howled in pain, trying to fight both her and the newcomer at the same time. Finally, he managed to pick up the boy and throw him directly at Loki, sending them both flying. Both werewolves hit the ground hard, and the teenager on top of Loki groaned in pain.

Loki shoved the other teen off of her, perhaps harder than necessary considering he'd just tried to help her friend, and pushed herself up just in time to see the creature thrust its blue claws into Scott's abdomen. The crimson color of Scott's eyes faded back to brown, and Loki's own eyes widened with shock and horror. As she stepped forward helplessly, the faint sound of footsteps brought her attention briefly to Malia, Stiles, and Liam, who had just arrived.

But before any of the pack could react, Scott rose to his feet, his eyes glowing the red of an Alpha once again. The werewolf grabbed the hand that was clamped around his throat and tugged it away. Keeping a firm grip on the creature's wrist, Scott twisted it once _hard._ The man howled in pain as his bone snapped and broke through the surface of his skin. Scott plucked the claws embedded in his chest and tossed them to the ground.

"I don't know who you are," he said to the man cowering in front of him. "Or what you thought you were going to do, but I'll give you a choice. You can stay and I'll break something else, or you can run." The creature slowly rose to his feet, looking around at the gathered teenagers warily. He made eye contact with Stiles, who lifted his chin, gaze steely.

"I'd run," the sole human advised, not wavering once. Growling in frustration and pain, the man cradled his injured arm and took off into the night. Loki moved closer towards her friends, and they all turned towards the unfamiliar werewolf who'd helped Scott. He smiled, dropping his gaze to the ground as he approached them slowly.

"You don't remember me, do you?" He asked. Scott raised his eyebrows, and the boy smiled again. "I guess I look a little different since the fourth grade," he quipped. As he spoke, Scott's eyes widened in recognition.

" _Theo_?" He asked, clearly shocked. Malia eyed him warily.

"You know him?" she asked, suspicious.

"They used to," Theo answered. "Trust me, I never thought I'd see you guys again. But a couple months ago, I heard of an Alpha in Beacon Hills. When I found out his name was Scott McCall, I just couldn't believe it. And not just an Alpha," Theo continued. "A _True_ Alpha." Scott shrugged his shoulders a little awkwardly. He licked his lips.

"What do you want?"

"I came back to Beacon Hills," Theo explained. There was an odd gleam in his eye. "Back home with my family, because I want to be a part of your pack."

* * *

The five seniors pushed through the double doors of the school. Stiles was still muttering about Theo.

"I mean, we haven't seen this kid in years," he reminded his best friend. "You don't find that highly suspicious?" Scott smiled slightly, almost amused by his best friend's suspicion.

"I'm a little more concerned about the guy who just tried to kill me," Scott reminded Stiles. Before their conversation could continue, Malia's phone buzzed. They all stopped walking as she held it in front of her face, reading the message. After a moment of stoicism, a broad, relieved smile broke its way across her face.

"I'm in!" She exclaimed. "I _passed_." She sounded shocked, but extremely pleased with herself. Stiles laughed, shoulders relaxing slightly, and he threw his arms around his girlfriend.

"Thank god," a new voice said. Lydia stalked up to her friends, looking annoyed. "Where have you guys been? The entire senior class is – Loki!" Lydia stepped forward to hug the girl, who laughed, returning Lydia's embrace. Loki wrapped an arm around Lydia's waist as they broke their hug, turning back towards the others.

"So are we doing this?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

* * *

Loki stood in line behind Malia, just in front of Scott. She watched as the others wrote their initials on the shelves of the library. As Kira took the marker from Lydia, she surveyed the writing, biting her lip in uncertainty.

"This isn't vandalism...right?" She asked, sounding nervous. Lydia shrugged, stepping backwards to join Stiles.

"Not…technically." Loki laughed, watching as Kira wrote her initials before handing the marker to Malia. The were-coyote hesitated for a moment before she wrote, but when she stepped back she had a self-satisfied smile on her face. Loki pressed the marker tip to the metal shelf, carefully, deliberately writing an L and then a C. Stepping back, Loki handed the marker to Scott, who took a deep breath as he studied the other initials his friends had left.

As Loki watched, Scott wrote his own initials, and then after a moments hesitation, wrote two 'A's' just underneath the 'SM.' It didn't take a genius to figure out what – or rather who – they stood for. Scott blinked a few times, and then shook his head, handing the marker to the next person in line and stepping back. He wrapped his arm around Kira's shoulders, rubbing her bicep.

"She would have been with us," Stiles said softly. Scott nodded, smiling slightly.

"Yeah," he whispered, kissing Kira's forehead. Lydia's eyes were faraway as she smiled.

"She still is."

* _END FLASHBACK*_

* * *

Hanging in her cell at Eichen once again, Loki snapped out of her dream – a repeat of the day that had started everything leading up to the present. A repeat of the first day of senior year. When the werewolf strained her hearing, she could hear Valack talking to Lydia a few cells down, asking her about the same topic.

" _The beginning_ _of senior year,"_ he was saying. " _What happened after that, Lydia?"_

 _"You're not real,"_ Lydia murmured in response. She sounded dazed.

" _Tell me Lydia,"_ Valack persuaded. " _Tell me what happened to them. What happened to your friends?"_

" _I don't…I don't remember,"_ Lydia protested.

" _It started just after you began senior year. What happened?"_

" _I don't remember,"_ Lydia repeated, sounding near tears due to frustration and fear.

" _What happened to Kira?"_ Valack continued. Despite the fact that there was no response, he continued with the questions. " _Tell me about Parrish."_

"Jordan…" Loki whispered under her breath, closing her eyes as she pictured her boyfriend, eyes glowing and flames surrounding him.

 _"And Malia,"_ Valack continued as Loki refocused her hearing. _"What happened when the Desert Wolf finally found her?"_ Loki groaned, straining against the chains that kept her in place at the mention of her friends. " _I know you remember what happened to Stiles. And you remember, you_ must _remember…how Loki ended up back here?"_

 _"I can't remember,"_ Lydia insisted. Valack sighed, sounding more resigned than truly disappointed.

" _That's alright, Lydia."_ He consoled the Banshee. _"There are other ways to get to the details. This special device is designed for trepanation, the medical art of drilling into the human skull."_ Loki's eyes snapped open and she shook her head in panic, wincing as pain rang through her head. " _Let me show you how it works."_

"No!" Loki shrieked in protest, in fear for her friend. " _No_!" She screamed again, thrashing against the chains, trying to rip through the metal so she could get _out_ , so she could save her friend. Almost before she knew what was happening, an orderly had punched the code into her cell and stormed in. He brandished a Taser, the weapon crackling with electricity. As Loki continued to wail, he stepped forward and jabbed it into her side. The orderly then stood back, smiling sadistically as the werewolf's broken body jolted and convulsed, and fresh blood ran down her wrists and forehead.

* * *

 _*FLASHBACK*_

Lydia sat down in the open seat at the lab table next to Loki and began to pull out her things - a notebook, a textbook, and her pencil case. Kira sat at the lab table adjacent to the other two girls. Just before the first bell rang, someone else walked into the class. Scott.

The Alpha walked over to Kira, taking a seat next to his girlfriend and pulling out a textbook. Kira smiled at him happily, before blinking in surprise, realizing what his presence in the class meant. She shot Lydia and Loki a surprised look.

Lydia shook her head slightly, clearly as confused as Kira was. The Banshee then looked at Loki, who just shrugged and shook her head, motioning for Kira to say something to him. Kira shook her head, eyes wide. She didn't want to offend her boyfriend by questioning his class placement. Lydia rolled her eyes, giving Kira a look that clearly meant, "he's _your_ boyfriend," and turned back to the front.

"Scott?" Kira asked, quietly, her voice gentle. He turned towards her. "Are you in the right class?"

"AP Biology," he responded, nodding his head. Loki and Lydia exchanged another look.

"Do you know what AP stands for?" Lydia asked, meaning it sincerely. Scott turned towards her, smiling. He looked amused at her question.

"Advanced Placement," he said, laughing. He opened the textbook in front of him. It was heavily highlighted and bookmarked. Loki shrugged, shaking her head in disbelief. He did know what he was doing.

"Welcome to AP Biology," the teacher said, shutting the door as the second bell rang. Loki remembered that her name was Mrs. Finch. "Let's see who's awake. Can anyone tell me what plasmids are?"

"Circular, self-replicating DNA molecules often used in cloning proteins," Lydia responded without missing a beat.

"Nicely stated, Lydia," Mrs. Finch complimented. "Now, can you tell me what vitamin is absorbed in the stomach via parietal cell production of a glycoprotein?" Lydia's mouth dropped open.

"Uh…" she said, for once not having an answer. Mrs. Finch turned to Loki, raising her eyebrows in a prompting manner.

"Um…B-12?" Loki answered, the lilt in her voice indicating her lack of confidence in the answer. Mrs. Finch smiled slightly, looking a mixture of impressed and slightly irritated.

"Nice _guess_ , Loki," the teacher said pointedly. Loki shrugged, glancing back down at her notebook and carefully writing the answer out so she'd remember it later. Mrs. Finch was already moving on. "Mr. McCall! Did you know the answer?" Scott looked up, eyes wide.

"Um. No," he responded honestly.

"It's a common test question," Mrs. Finch said. "What's your number one college pick?"

"Um…" Scott responded.

"Stop saying um! All of you," Mrs. Finch ordered the class.

"Sorry," Scott apologized quickly. "UC Davis." Mrs. Finch nodded approvingly.

"Good choice," she said. "It's the best school on the West Coast for biological and physical sciences. You're in the right class if that's what you're hoping for." She turned her attention away from Scott and to the rest of the students. "Who else thinks that they're in the right class?"

Everyone in the classroom slowly raised their hand, Theo being the first to do so. Mrs. Finch nodded again.

"Good," she said. "Then you'll all be prepared for the test tomorrow." There was a chorus of sighs throughout the classroom. "Don't be so disappointed," Mrs. Finch told them. "This test is specifically to help you determine whether you should actually be in AP Biology. You have two weeks to drop. Tomorrow's test will just weed out the ones who shouldn't be here." She walked forward, placing a hand on Scott and Kira's lab table. "And that could be _any_ of you."

* * *

"Loki!"

"Stiles," she replied, watching with amusement as the human stumbled up to her.

"I need you to do me a favor," he said. Loki raised an eyebrow, surprised. As she continued to walk, she nodded, motioning for him to continue. "I need you to call the twins." Loki laughed at this odd request, pausing at her locker. As she answered she began to flip the dial.

"You need me to call the twins," she repeated, yanking the door open. "Okay, easy enough. But why?"

"Because I was talking to Theo," Stiles began, making Loki groan. The smile slid off her face, and Stiles held up a hand. "Let me finish! He told us that he the reason he wasn't in the pack of the Alpha that turned him was because he was dead by his first full moon."

"So?" Loki asked, putting her history book away.

"So, the Alpha was dead because he had been _killed_ by two of his Betas – twins." Loki froze. She turned towards Stiles slowly, her expression natural and impassive.

"And?" She prompted, voice suddenly very calm. He stared at her.

"And – and _what?_ " he asked. "Isn't that enough? Can't you just call the twins and ask them if they know if their former Alpha turned a teenager right before they decided to defect and kill everyone in their Voltron Wolf form?" Stiles scratched his jaw, grimacing as he finished his sentence. "Okay, so maybe don't phrase it like that, but you know what I mean." Loki shook her head.

"Listen to me closely," she said to him. "I am _not_ going to bring _that_ topic up with the twins unless you give me a very good, very _specific_ question to ask. And my just asking them if they know if their Alpha turned a teen is not good enough. Try again." Stiles groaned, thinking for a moment.

"Okay, fine. When Ethan told us about how he and Aiden killed their pack, remember what he said? He said they killed _all of them._ And Theo just told me that the reason he knew that the Alpha died was because another pack member told him. So – it doesn't add up." Loki rolled her eyes again, and Stiles stared at her imploringly. "Loki, _please."_

"Fine," she snapped, pulling her phone out. She dialed Aiden's number, knowing the more aggressive twin found it easier to talk about that night than Ethan did. Even so, she wasn't looking forward to this conversation. He picked up after the second ring. "Aiden, you want to do Stiles a favor?" Loki asked. The human glared at her.

" _Not particularly,"_ Aiden replied. " _But I'll do you one. What's up?"_ Loki sighed.

"Okay, look, I'm sorry in advance. But – there's a new kid here – someone who says he knew Scott and Stiles when they were younger, a werewolf. He says that he was bitten by an Alpha who he never met. By his first full moon the Alpha was dead. Killed by twins." Aiden was silent on the other end for a moment, and he took a deep breath. Loki waited patiently - and guiltily - as he controlled his fear and anger enough to answer.

" _Okay. What's the question?"_

"Stiles said that this kid claims one of the Alpha's other Betas found him and told him what happened. But Stiles thinks he's lying because he remembers that Ethan told him and Scott that the two of you didn't leave survivors." Loki listened for a minute. "Okay. Okay. Yeah. Okay, bye. And – I'm sorry again." Loki dropped the phone from her ear and sighed.

"What did he say?" Stiles exploded at her immediately.

"Jeez. Calm down." Loki slid her phone into her back pocket. "He said that it's possible that Theo's telling the truth. He said that he can't remember the Alpha having turned a teenager in the weeks before they killed him, but that it's possible they wouldn't have noticed. He also said that he _thinks_ they killed all the pack members, but it was a long time ago and he's not sure." She glared at Stiles. "Happy?"

He scowled back at her

"Yeah. Yeah. Thanks."

* * *

Loki was in the library, studying, when Lydia came up to her. The redhead dramatically slammed her hands down on the desk, causing Loki to look up. Sighing, the dark skinned girl took out one ear bud.

"What is it?"

"I need you to do me a favor," Lydia said. Loki groaned, closing her eyes.

"Why does everyone need favors from me today?" Lydia stared at her, confused. "What, you want me to call the twins too?"

"Of course not," Lydia scoffed. "I want you to call Deputy Parrish." Loki stared at Lydia, mouth gaping, and the Banshee smiled innocently back.

"Okay, why?" Loki asked, rubbing her temples. Lydia sat down beside Loki, glancing around to make sure no one was listening.

"You know Tracy, right?"

"Nope," Loki said, re-opening her history textbook. Lydia scoffed again, grabbing the book and slamming it shut decisively.

"Listen to me!" The redhead insisted. Loki turned towards Lydia; lips pressed together with thinly veiled irritation. Lydia smiled back nervously. "She's in our grade. She's been having night terrors." Loki shook her head in disbelief, but Lydia plowed on. "Just wait. I think there's something more to it. Something just feels…off. Neither of us have any other classes today. I want you to get the Deputy to meet us at Tracy's house so we can figure it out."

Loki sighed, pulling her other ear bud out and turning her music off. She was tired of things happening in Beacon Hills and had been hoping for a quiet senior year. But she also knew better than to ignore Lydia when she had these premonitions.

"Fine."

* * *

Jordan was waiting for the three girls when they reached the house. He was a little confused by Loki's request that he help her and Lydia with something, but she had promised that she'd explain what was happening when they got there. As it turned out, Loki didn't know exactly what was going on either.

Tracy led the others into her bedroom as she explained about her night terrors – that she'd woken up to a bird pecking her window only to see a figure there, and that later that night she'd found the skylight open, even though she claimed that it _couldn't_ be opened.

Lydia requested that Jordan check the room for anything unusual and he agreed, realizing why she wanted him there. Lydia wasn't saying much, but he was guessing that she thought something supernatural was at play here, but didn't want to frighten Tracy. She was asking for his opinion as a police officer who she knew wouldn't ask unwanted questions.

Jordan walked over to the window, tugging on the lock. He checked it carefully, and then unlocked the window and slid it open. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"I don't see any signs of an attempted forced entry," he told the three girls. Tracy's shoulders relaxed slightly at his words, clearly relieved. "You said something about birds, Tracy?"

"The bird was at the skylight," she responding, casting her eyes upwards. "The one that woke me up." Jordan followed her gaze.

"Can I take a look?" He asked. Tracy nodded. The deputy climbed onto a chair so he could look more closely at the skylight. He noticed something odd and frowned. The latch was open, unlocked. "You said the skylight was sealed for weather proofing?" The teenager nodded, eyebrows creased in concern.

"Yeah. Why?" Jordan placed his hand against the glass and pushed. The skylight opened with no resistance. As he opened it, a smell hit Loki.

"Ugh," she said, covering her nose instinctively. Jordan shot her a look, noticing her watering eyes. Pushing the skylight farther open so he could see out, he realized immediately what she was reacting to. The wooden edge of the skylight was covered with scratches and blood, and just beyond the edge were dozens of bird carcasses, all mangled and bloody. Eyes wide, he shot a look at Lydia, who stared back.

"What is it?" She said, looking impatiently from Loki to Jordan. As soon as she'd asked the question, all three of them instinctively turned to look at Tracy. She looked confused and terrified. Noticing this, Jordan pulled the skylight shut and latched the bolt, shaking his head quickly at the Banshee.

"Nothing." Loki turned towards Tracy, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Listen," she said in a soothing voice. "I'm sure everything is going to be fine. It was probably just first day jitters." Tracy looked up at Loki, uncertain. She didn't quite believe what the girl was saying, but something about her voice was very convincing. "Don't worry about it for now, okay? We'll figure this out." Loki smiled warmly. "I promise."

* * *

"I can't do anything official right now," Jordan told Lydia and Loki as they left Tracy's house. "But I can come back after my shift tonight and watch the house for a couple hours." Lydia nodded, looking a little tentative.

"Are you sure? I mean, that's your time." Jordan smiled.

"Don't worry about it. I wouldn't do it if I didn't think something strange was going on." Lydia still looked concerned, and Loki could guess what she was thinking. She didn't want anything to happen to Jordan because she was concerned about something.

"I'll stay," Loki offered, looking at Jordan. He turned towards her, looking slightly surprised. She smiled at him innocently. "Keep you company."

"You have school tomorrow," he reminded her. He glanced at Lydia. "Both of you do."

"Actually," Lydia cut in. "Between the two of us we have three classes tomorrow. And one of them is Loki's art class." Jordan's mouth dropped open, and he stared at the two girls in disbelief.

"How do you – what?" He asked, laughing. Loki grinned.

"Well, I was home-schooled for most of my life, and Lydia's a genius." Loki smiled in a smug manner. "We both had enough credits to graduate last year." Jordan shook his head in disbelief, and Loki turned to her friend.

"Now," Loki said. "She's going to bring me back to school so I can get my bike, and then I am going to meet _you_." She turned back towards Jordan. "Here at midnight." Jordan sighed, shaking his head. He knew that he wasn't going to win this argument.

"I'll see you then," he said, with an affectionate smile.

* * *

Loki climbed into the passenger's seat of Jordan's cruiser just before midnight. She held out a steaming paper cup to him, smiling.

"How did you remember?" he asked, laughing as he took a sip of the hot beverage. He couldn't remember the last time he'd told her his coffee order, but it was prepared just how he liked it. Loki shrugged, taking a sip of her own latte.

"Because I'm smart," she replied cheekily. Jordan laughed again, turning his attention back towards Tracy's house and focusing on the window of her room. Suddenly, the hairs on the back on Loki's neck prickled, and she turned around, peering out the window in the back. She'd felt like something had been watching her, but there was no one there.

"What is it?" Jordan asked, turning to look in the same direction.

"I'm not…I don't know," Loki said slowly. "I thought I heard something…never mind." Loki tucked her bare feet up onto the seat, and Jordan noticed something.

"You have a tattoo," he pointed out, eyes drawn to the small, black mark on the arch of her foot. Loki reached down absentmindedly as though to touch it before pulling her hand back and settling it on her lap.

"More of a brand than a tattoo," she murmured. Frowning, Jordan was about to ask what the meant when she began to speak, her eyes far away. "I need to tell you something." She said to him, for once dead serious. "Remember when you asked me why my eyes were blue?" Jordan nodded catiously.

"And you got upset." Loki grinned humorlessly at his response.

"Yeah. Well, now that the shock of finding out everything has worn off, I think I should tell you." Loki fell quiet for a minute, and then amended her previous statement. "I should have told you a long time ago. And now I suppose I have a good seg-way into it. This is the symbol of my old pack," she told him, motioning to the mark again.

The werewolf turned towards the deputy, and Jordan nodded, encouraging her to continue silently.

"It was a pack of all Alphas," she began. Not meeting his eyes, she continued to tell him the story of how she'd become a part of the pack, and how the pack had operated.

Jordan remembered Loki's words to him, months ago, just after he'd first found out about the supernatural world. What had she said? _"I'm not a good person."_ He had told her that he hadn't believed that, and now, even that he knew the truth, he still didn't. Loki had finished talking, eyeing him apprehensively.

"What happened?" He asked, when it was clear that she wouldn't say more without prompting.

"Two of them are dead," she said. She spoke matter-of-factly, but Jordan saw a brief flash of pain shoot through her normally well-guarded eyes. "Two of them are in London. And one of them…well, that's what I was doing this summer." Jordan nodded. He leaned over and took her chin in his hand, making her look at him.

"Listen. Thank you for telling me," he said. She raised her eyebrows at him. "I'm glad to know, but it doesn't matter to me."

"It doesn't matter?" She repeated. "Jordan, I was an accomplice to dozens of murders, and you're a cop. How does it not matter?" Jordan weighed his words carefully before he spoke.

"Because – remember those weeks when you were trying to help me figure out exactly what I was?"

"Yeah, to no avail?"

"Sure, but – that's not the point. The point is, you told me one day that there's a hierarchy to the supernatural world. You fit into that hierarchy in a way that the cop in me can't approve of." Jordan squeezed her hand. "But the other part? Whatever else I am? Somehow I know that that part can at least understand why you did it." Loki held his gaze, taking a deep breath. Her shoulders shuddered as she exhaled, a great weight lifted off her chest.

"Thank you," she whispered.

* * *

 **er. so. this is rough (i say that a lot).**

 **please please leave a review and tell me what you think!**

 **thank you!**


	18. DreamcatchersCondition Terminal

**wayneixmoff: thank you! i'm glad you like them together so much!**

 **Okay this took kinda long, but it least it's also longer than normal? anyways. my b.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf**

* * *

"Give her 800 milligrams of the yellow this time," Valack instructed Nurse Cross. The woman nodded, carefully filling the syringe with the odd ochre substance. Loki squeezed her eyes shut, trying to calm down. She knew the more scared she was, the faster her heart beat, and in effect, the faster the poison would be distributed through her system. Still, it was hard to remain calm as the needle pierced the skin of her neck.

As the toxin seeped through her system, Loki unconsciously strained against her bonds. As she did so, a strangled whine of pain rose from her throat, and she was rewarded with a harsh slap from the nurse. To keep her mind off the excruciating pain as the wolfsbane coursed through her veins, Loki tried to focus on something else – memories of her friends.

* * *

* _FLASHBACK*_

Loki reclined in the backseat of Malia's car, next to Kira. Lydia was in the passenger's seat, looking as coolly disinterested as always. The were-coyote in the driver's seat had her teeth clenched together in a nervous grimace as she surveyed the dark and empty road in front of her. She looked as though she'd rather be anywhere than where she was.

"Okay," Kira said optimistic as always. "Hands on the wheel at ten and two." Malia obeyed, moving her hands up the steering wheel so they were a few inches apart at the top.

"Actually, the recommended position is now nine and three," Lydia corrected Kira's statement. She turned to look at Malia. "At ten and two, a deployed airbag could break your thumbs."

"Mine would heal," Malia pointed out. Lydia rolled her eyes, and Loki leaned forward to instruct her friend.

"Save your strength," Loki suggested, trying not to sound sarcastic. "And try not to destroy this car – it's brand new and beautiful." Loki smiled. "Nine and three."

Sighing, Malia acquiesced, moving each hand down the side of the wheel slightly so that they were opposite one another. As she tightened her grasp on the steering wheel, Loki could hear the leather straining beneath her grip. Loki listened, a little conference, and Malia's heart rate picked up, her scent suddenly spiking with anxiety.

"Malia?" Loki cautioned. "You okay?" The were-coyote gave her head a shake as if she was clearing it. She nodded, glancing at Loki in the rearview mirror.

"Fine," she replied tightly, pressing her foot against the gas. The car began to roll forward slowly. _Very_ slowly.

"Alright," Kira directed. "Just ease into it…good, good, okay. There you go!"

"Please shut up," Malia gasped, sounding breathless with concentration.

"No problem," Kira responded. "Shutting up." Kira stayed quiet for about thirty seconds, and then began to speak again as Malia began to direct the car off the road. "Other way. Other way. Uh, Malia? _Other_ way." Ignoring her friend, Malia continued to drive off the street, her jaw clenched tightly.

"We are now off the road," Lydia said, unnecessarily. "This is not the road."

"What is that? What is beeping?" Malia snapped, looking around wildly. She didn't seem to notice that the car was rolling over uneven ground, more concerned with the obnoxious alarm ringing through the car.

"That would be the car telling you not to run into that tree right there," Loki said sarcastically. "Turn the wheel. Malia, turn the wheel." No response. "Malia!" Loki leaned forward instinctively, reaching out as if to grab the steering wheel, but Malia had already – finally – turned to car back towards the road. Sighing with relief, Loki relaxed back against her seat. "Try to stay on the actual road this time, okay?"

Instead of straightening out to drive along the road again, Malia turned the car in a tight circle, causing Loki's shoulder to slam against the door. Kira pressed her lips together, looking partially annoyed and partially bewildered.

"Okay, sure. This is called a U-turn."

"Loki said turn the wheel," Malia responded, sounding confused. Loki sighed, pressing her fingers to her nose.

"Maybe you should press a little harder on the gas," Lydia suggested, glancing critically at the speedometer, the needle pointing to a mere fifteen miles per hour.

As usual, Malia didn't do anything by halves. She slammed her foot against the pedal, and the needle ratcheted up to almost sixty miles per hour. Unprepared for this, the other three girls were slammed back against their seats.

"Okay, okay, just turn up here," Lydia directed, a note of panic in here voice. "Slowly – slowly!" Malia turned the corner, almost running the car off the road again. Kira gritted her teeth, humming in a disapproving manner, but managing to stay silent.

"Okay, does anyone want to tell me where we're going?" Malia asked.

"The school," Lydia suggested. "We can finish with parking practice in the lot." Loki nodded, but Kira leaned forward to look out the window in confusion. She hesitated, and then spoke.

"Lydia," she said. The redhead hummed affirmatively. "We're actually heading downtown."

"What?" The Banshee asked, looking up. She glanced out the window, lips parting with confusion when she saw that Kira was right. Lydia's eyebrows furrowed.

"Yeah," Kira said. "If we want to go to the school we should do a U-turn, shouldn't we?"

"No," Lydia replied, her voice suddenly very quiet. "Keep going."

"Lyd, you sure?" Loki asked from the backseat.

"Yes," she replied shortly, eyes scanning the dark horizon. "We're almost there," she added quietly. Malia stopped the car about halfway down a ramp. A van was blocking the exit. Its lights were still on, but the back doors were open and it appeared abandoned.

"It's a prison transport van," Loki said, pushing her door open for a better look. She curled her lip. "And I smell blood." As the four girls walked to get a closer look, a prone figure was illuminated by Malia's high beams. As the girls approached cautiously, the man on the ground stretched out one bloody hand in a silent plea for help. Lydia took one more step and then stopped, exhaling hard.

"Call 911."

* * *

The police and an ambulance arrived on the scene quickly. The injured man was quickly carted away, and officers came to talk to the girls about how they'd found the scene. The Sherriff came up to the girls, speaking quietly to the deputy interviewing them and then pulling Loki aside.

"What's up?" She asked, as he led her over to Scott and Stiles. She couldn't help but notice that he was dressed unusually nicely for a crime scene, and wondered why.

"We have an APB out on a kid named Donovan," the police officer informed her as they stopped by the other two teenagers. "He's our primary suspect for what happened here." Loki nodded, putting two and two together.

"He was the prisoner being transported?" She clarified. The Sheriff nodded gravely.

"I want you and Scott to find him."

"Easy enough," she said, shrugging. She glanced at Scott, and he nodded.

"Alright," Stilinski said, pulling a walkie-talkie from his pocket. He handed it to Scott. "Keep it on Channel Two." Scott nodded, taking it and tucking it carefully into his pocket. He touched Loki in between her shoulder blades to get her attention.

"Ready?" He asked. She nodded, and the two werewolves took off. Scott allowed Loki to lead, knowing that hunting was her forte, not his. He followed her without question, over a wall and back down to the ground. Landing in a crouch, Loki paused, and Scott followed suit.

"Young male, likely human," she noted. "Smell that?" she asked, standing back up. Scott nodded. "That him?" The Alpha nodded again, remembering that Loki had never actually met Donovan, therefore not knowing what he smelled like. "Good."

Loki led Scott forward. Everything about her, from the way her knees were bent slightly (like she was ready to spring into attack at any moment) to the way that her eyes darted around (looking for any movement) proved to Scott how formidable of an enemy Loki would be – or really, had been.

Something tugged in Scott's heart as he watched her, and he blinked. He hadn't realized until just now how much he missed Loki. Not that he'd say anything – he was with Kira now, and she had clearly moved on as well. But still.

"Scott," she whispered, too low for human ears to catch. Her lips barely moved as she spoke. "Focus." As soon as she reminded him of this, something caught Scott's attention. Footsteps, preceded by the smell of fear, anger, and blood.

Donovan rushed at Scott, yelling out. Catching him by the throat, Scott tossed him to the ground, the reaction as natural and easy as breathing. As Donovan's body slapped against the cold cement, he rolled on to his back. His eyes were wide with fear and he held a hand out timidly.

"Please!" he whispered. Loki bent down next to him.

"Are you Donovan?" she asked him. He nodded, looking up at Loki in a somewhat mesmerized manner. Scott couldn't blame him. "Okay. Are you hurt?" Donovan didn't answer – he was shaking. "Donovan," Loki said again, this time with more conviction. "Are you injured?"

"N – no," he whispered. "I'm f – fine. But T – Tracy. You have to find Tracy." He began to pant, hyperventilating. "I didn't – Tracy! She – " he cut himself on, his breathing becoming too erratic to allow him to speak. He whimpered wordlessly.

"Okay," Loki said again. She placed a hand on his back, and turned to Scott. She raised her eyebrows, and Scott nodded, knowing what she was trying to convey. They needed to get Donovan back to the police, but there was no point in scaring him further. Walking a ways away, Scott began to speak into the radio. Behind him, he could hear Loki talking to Donovan soothingly, attempting to calm him down.

" _Scott_ , _is that you?"_ Deputy Parrish's voice crackled over the line.

"Yeah," the teenager responded. "I found Donovan. He's completely freaked out. He keeps saying some name."

" _What name?"_ Stiles's dad asked. He must have taken the walkie talkie from the deputy.

"Tracy," Scott replied. "He keeps saying Tracy."

" _Tracy who?"_

"Stewart," Loki said from her position on the ground next to Donovan. Scott looked at her, and he was surprised at her expression. She looked guilty, almost ashamed. "Tracy Stewart."

* * *

"Tracy wasn't just having trouble sleeping." Lydia was explaining to the others what had happened to their classmate. It was the next morning, and they were all at school – by the buses as usual, leaning around the Jeep. "It was a real disorder. It was night terrors."

"Well, now she's the night terror, especially since no one can find her," Stiles muttered.

"Okay," Scott said. "I know we're all tired and miserable…" He trailed off, looking at the sophomore next to him. Mason was listening to the conversation with rapt attentiveness. An almost giddy grin was plastered on his face. "Except for you." Mason looked up and then blinked, realizing that they were talking about him now.

"Oh. I'm sorry," he said quickly. "This is all just mind-blowing." He gestured to Kira, eyes wind with wonder. "You're a Kitsune. I don't even know what that is." He grinned again, shaking his head in disbelief. Kira smiled tightly back.

"I'm still learning," she muttered, mostly to herself. Scott put his arm around her shoulder, and Loki thumped her head against the Jeep.

"Liam, they said you could tell him," Loki scolded the other freshman, her voice muffled by the metal of the car. "Not invite him to the inner circle so he could fanboy over our statuses."

"I – I'm in the inner circle?" Mason stuttered, seeming even more excited by this.

"No," Loki said, Liam and Stiles responding to the other teen at the same time. Undeterred, Mason grinned jubilantly, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned against the car behind him.

"Guys, look, back to Tracy," Scott said. "She's just one lone wolf. We can find her."

"One lone serial killing wolf," Malia corrected.

"Well, technically she only killed one person," Loki amended. "The other two were just… _mauled_."

"I'm glad the technicalities are coming from our own resident serial killer," Stiles muttered. Loki glowered at the human next to her and punched him on the bicep. "Ow! You _do_ know you have super strength, right?"

"You're a – you're a serial killer?" Mason asked, his voice squeaking slightly as he looked from Loki to Stiles, the latter of whom was still pouting and rubbing his arm pointedly.

"Not in years," Loki quipped. She arched an eyebrow, looking at Mason with a coolly detached expression. "Don't tempt me, kid."

"Hey!" Liam snapped, his own temper flaring at the threat, even if it was an empty one.

"Yeah, what crawled up your ass anyways?" Stiles asked Loki, still holding the place she'd hit him. She glared at the human again, her eyes cool and steely.

"Scott said it himself," she replied. "We couldn't find Tracy. That's the first time – " Loki paused, remembering this summer, and grimaced. That made it worse. "I'm not used to not finding someone when I'm looking for them," she finished in a more subdued manner. She sounded almost petulant. "I don't like it."

"Guys!" Scott scolded. Loki looked at the ground, lapsing into a stubborn silence.

"What are we going to do when we catch her?" Stiles asked, back on topic.

"I say we put her down." Malia, of course. The others exchanged looks, but no one protested to Malia's suggestion immediately. There was a moment of charged silence, broken of course by Mason.

"Intense," he commented in an awed tone. Loki rolled her eyes.

"Guys, let's just focus on catching her first." Scott steered the conversation back on track for the third time in five minutes. "We'll figure out the rest later."

* * *

Mrs. Finch placed Loki's test face down on her desk. She flipped it over – a 90. Filing it away, Loki turned to Scott as Mrs. Finch placed his test in front of him. He flipped it over, holding his breath, and a grin spread over his face – he'd received an 86. Kira grinned jubilantly, and Loki and Lydia smiled too. They were all proud of his work.

"Nice to see where your priorities are, Scott," Mrs. Finch said. "Since you have such a good grasp of the subject, how about you lead us in a review of last night's reading?" Scott's smile faded slightly.

"Uh…sure." He flipped his textbook open to the marked section, but before he began to read, he glanced towards the doorway, clearly distracted. Loki followed his gaze and saw Liam there. The sophomore was gesturing to the hallway frantically. He clearly wanted Scott to come out for whatever reason.

"Scott?" The teacher asked, noticing his distraction.

"Sorry," he responded. "Just – looking for the page." He flipped through the textbook, purposely avoiding the section that had been assigned the night before.

"Scott," Mrs. Finch said again, this time sounding impatient instead of simply confused.

"Yeah, one sec. Sorry."

"Scott." The Alpha tapped his ear, signaling for Liam to speak to him from outside the classroom. Loki listened in too, and from across the room, Loki could see Theo's head tilted in Liam's direction as well.

" _She's here,"_ Liam whispered, his voice as clear as if he was standing right next to her. " _She's in a history class right now. Tracy. She's here."_

* * *

Loki was outside the school building, waiting for the fire alarm to stop when she saw Scott, Stiles, Malia, and Mr. Yukimura rushing towards the Jeep. Scott had Tracy in his arms. As the alarm stopped abruptly and the principal announced that they were free to return to classes, Loki, Kira, and Lydia hurried back into the school.

Liam met them in the hallways, nearly colliding with Kira before they both halted.

"They're taking her to the animal clinic?" Kira asked breathlessly. Liam nodded, running a hand through his hair in a distracted manner.

"Yeah, to see if Deaton can figure out what's wrong with her."

"What's wrong with her is that she killed two people," Loki hissed, glancing around to make sure no one was listening in on their conversation. "Her father, and according to Jordan." Loki held up her phone here for proof, to show the others the text she'd just received. "Her psychiatrist."

"Isn't there anyone else we can talk to?" Kira asked. "Her mom? Does she have any other family?"

"Alpha," Lydia responded, suddenly. She looked to Loki. "If she's a werewolf she has an Alpha, right?" Loki bit her lip.

"Not necessarily," she replied cautiously. "She could be a lone wolf – in fact, it may be more likely that she is. A good Alpha who didn't want her killing people would have controlled her, and an Alpha who did would have probably at least covered her tracks. Still…" Loki shrugged. "It's worth a shot. Anyone know of a new Alpha moving into Beacon Hills?"

"No…" Kira said slowly, as though something was occurring to her. "But there's an old one. One of the oldest. And we know her." Liam scowled, looking unhappy. He clenched his jaw, and Loki guessed he wasn't particularly looking forward to the conversation he was going to have to have with Brett.

"And her pack." Liam grimaced again, looking unexcited at this prospect. "I'll talk to Brett." Loki nodded, and Liam turned to go.

"Where are we going?" Loki asked, looking at Lydia and Kira. Lydia pressed her lips together, eyes narrowed in thought. She smiled slightly.

"How about back to Tracy's?"

* * *

"Hold on," Kira said as the three girls paused at the closed door to Tracy's room. "Isn't this like a crime scene or something?"

"No," Lydia scoffed. She swung the door open, and then halted, eyes wide as she took in the room. Yellow caution tape had been strung up around the room like streamers, crisscrossing across Tracy's four-poster bed. Lydia shrugged. "Maybe." Kira sighed, taking a slowly deliberate step forward. "Don't worry about it."

"We have friends in high places," Loki reminded Kira as she strode carelessly into the room. "We'll be fine."

"Okay," the Kitsune sighed. "What are we looking for?"

"I'm not sure," Lydia admitted, walking over to Tracy's dresser and picking up a bracelet before setting it back down. "I'm mostly just following a feeling."

"You mean the feelings that usually lead to dead bodies?" Loki muttered. She walked over to the other side of the Tracy's room so that she was just under the skylight, which had been boarded up. Lydia switched the lamp on her bedside table on, illuminating the rom.

"Well, let me know if you find one."

"What, to bring the homicide rate to three?" Loki scoffed. "I don't think so. Let's give this girl the benefit of the doubt for now." As she said that, something occurred to her. Loki sighed heavily. "That being said..."

Loki walked over to the window, and unlatched it. She opened it as wide as it would go, and swung one leg over the edge, ducking her head so she wouldn't slam it against the wooden frame of the window.

"What do you think you're doing?" Lydia asked. She and Kira were staring at the werewolf incredulously.

"What?" Loki asked. She clamped her legs tight against each side of the wall to ensure she wouldn't fall. "I just want to check something from last time we were here. It would be easier if the skylight wasn't boarded up, but whatever. This will do." Leaning as far back as she could without falling, Loki wrapping her hands around the top of the lip protruding just below the shingled roof.

Pulling herself up in one fluid motion, Loki launched herself through the air. Her feet tapped against the roof impossibly lightly as she landed, completely steady on her feet. Grinning, Loki straightened up.

Walking forward briskly despite the precarious slant of the rooftop, Loki bent to look at the decaying bodies she'd smelled last time they were there. Her shoulders relaxed. They were just birds.

She hadn't thought to ask Jordan what he'd seen up there, and she hadn't been able to see them herself. Even though she knew that Jordan would have told her if it had been something _truly_ alarming, like a human corpse, she had wanted to see it with her own eyes, just to make sure.

Dropping back down to the ledge, Loki swung back and forth once to gain momentum, and then let go. She flew through the tiny target of the window and landed easily on her feet. She turned around to close the window behind her.

"What was that all about?" Lydia asked. Kira was on the ground on her stomach, looking under Tracy's bed.

"Last time we were here I smelled something dead. I wanted to see what it was," Loki responded. "They're crows. Like – half a dozen of them or something. So Tracy's homicide rate stands still at a double murder."

Kira had resurfaced from Tracy's bed, and she was holding an open box wrapped in pink paper and tied with a ribbon. The girl pulled out a delicate looking dreamcatcher, holding it up for the others to see.

"Hey, look at this," she said, opening the card that had come with the box. Lydia and Loki leaned over Kira's shoulder as she read aloud. "'Remember, Tracybear. It only works if you believe it. Hope this helps. Love, Dad.'" Kira sighed, and turned towards the other two girls. "This is beyond depressing."

"He was just trying to help her," Lydia said quietly.

"Why would she go after him like that?" Kira asked.

"She probably wasn't in control of herself," Loki pointed out.

"But it wasn't even a full moon." Loki shrugged.

"If she's a new wolf, having a night terror can be disorienting enough for her to lose control. You saw how Liam got when he was angry right after he was turned. It's worse when you're scared."

"So a werewolf with night terrors is worse than – " Lydia cut herself off suddenly, grabbing the dreamcatcher from Kira's hands. She turned it over. "You know," Lydia said, changing topics. "There are cases of people who accidently murdered their whole family while in a night terror. They had no idea what they were doing."

"Homicidal somnambulism," Loki murmured. Something occurred to her suddenly.

"So if Tracy's killing people she doesn't really want to kill," Kira began. "She might not actually be awake."

"She's still in a night terror," Lydia confirmed.

"Guys – " Loki said, causing the other two girls to look at her. "Do you know – are we sure that Tracy's a werewolf?"

"What do you mean?" Kira asked.

"I mean – " Loki paused, collecting her thoughts. "I just remembered something. That night last year when Stiles went missing in the woods – he was dreaming the entire time. Having something that sounds a lot like a night terror, now that I'm thinking about it. And he was possessed by a Nogitsune." She looked up at the other girls. "Do you think – is it possible that Tracy is Nogitsune also?"

There was a long pause as the other digested this information. The very thought of dealing with another dark fox spirit was terrifying, and none of them wanted it to be the case. Lydia was the first to speak.

"You said it yourself, Loki. A night terror could be overwhelming for a newly turned werewolf. For now, let's operate under that assumption, and think about everything else later." Loki nodded. She'd been hoping for a more negative response, like the other two girls telling her that she was crazy or something, but whatever.

"Okay, wait a second," Kira said. "Her dad was just trying to help her, right?"

"So was her psychiatrist," Lydia replied, staring at Tracy's drawings on the wall.

"So maybe that's why she was at the school," Loki pointed out. "Trying to find someone else who was trying to help her."

"Maybe she was looking for you two," Kira said. Loki and Lydia both turned to look at Kira, and she seemed to realize the implication of her words. "Or not. Because that would mean that she wants to kill you."

"No, you're right," Lydia agreed. "We were trying to help. But…so was someone else. My mother." Lydia's eyes were wide. "What if Tracy went to the school looking for her?"

"Where is she now?" Loki asked. Lydia pressed her lips together.

"On a date."

* * *

Lydia parked hastily in the parking lot of the Sherriff's Station. As soon as she'd stopped the car, all three girls were getting out of it, rushing towards the station.

"Mom!" Lydia yelled as she burst through the doors. Luckily enough, the woman was still there. Unluckily, Loki could tell immediately that Tracy was as well. "Mom, she's coming for you," Lydia warned breathlessly. "Tracy."

"What?" Ms. Martin sounded reasonably confused. "What do you mean 'for me?'"

"Guys," Loki called, eyes trained up at the ceiling. Tracy was upside down, partially transformed. Before the werewolf could utter another word, the kanima dropped to the ground. In one fluid move, Tracy knocked the Sherriff's gun aside, effectively paralyzing him as her tail whipped into his hand. Loki dropped into a fighting stance, and Kira whipped out her sword. The two supernatural creatures surrounded Tracy, who was crouched on the desk, hissing.

"At least I was wrong about the whole Nogitsune thing," Loki murmured, trying to figure out how to attack Tracy without being paralyzed. How could you fight something you couldn't touch?

"That's what you're thinking about right now?" Kira asked, incredulous.

"Among other things," Loki admitted, voice lurching as she dropped into a crouch to avoid Tracy's tail as it whipped over her head. "But, hey, silver lining, right?"

"Kira, Loki, look out!" the Sherriff yelled. Tracy sprung into a one-handed backhand flip, landing in a defensive position before quickly changing tactics to offensive. Loki could hear Lydia yelling to her mother to run as the werewolf flipped over Tracy so that Kira and Loki were on either side of her.

Before either girl could do anything, Tracy shoved past them, whipping her tail out at Lydia. The Banshee yelped in pain as the tail slashed into her side, leaving a deep cut under her ribcage. Immediately, blood began to spread across her shirt in a dark stain.

"Lydia!" Loki heard Ms. Martin scream hysterically. "Lydia!" Loki ran to her friend's side, grabbing the girl just before she hit the ground and slinging her friend's body away from Tracy. Loki was, perhaps, not as gentle as she should have been in her haste to get Lydia out of harms way, and Lydia's cut off gasp indicated that.

Shielding the Banshee with her own body, Loki knelt over Lydia, trying to examine the wound. Her teeth clenched together in concern - she could see how deep it was. In Loki's moment of distraction, Tracy managed to lash her tail across the Beta's back, and Loki cried out, body arching as the cut stung.

The venom began to seep through her system quickly, and Loki fell to the ground, inches away from her injured friend. Already struggling to move even slightly, Loki barely managed to turn her head to see Kira on top of a desk. Her mouth fell open.

Surrounding Kira's body was an orangey glow in the shape of a fox. Loki realized immediately that it was the aura that surround Kira's body always. Usually it was invisible to the human eye, but now it glowed a thousand times stronger, and anyone could see it.

As Tracy whipped towards Kira, the Kitsune brought her sword down, right on Tracy's tail. It fell to the ground, twitching, and Tracy shouted in pain as she collapsed. As Loki and Lydia watched, the glow around Kira strengthened until it resembled flames. Just as abruptly as it had started, the aura faded, and Kira's shoulders slumped as she panted, exhausted.

* * *

Kira's hands were covered with Lydia's blood as she tried in vain to stop the bleeding that still seeped out of the wound, oozing between Kira's fingers. Lydia's wound was still bleeding profusely, and the Banshee's skin was clammy and chalky white. Her breath was shallow, and her eyes were very blank looking.

Footsteps sounded, coming from the main entrance of the building. Loki recognized the scent and she called out, albeit with some difficulty due to her frozen position.

"Malia?" She yelled. The were-coyote rounded the corner, stepping into view. Her eyes widened when she saw Lydia on the ground, and she gasped.

"It's okay," Lydia whispered. "It's not as bad as it looks." Loki grimaced. _Liar._ "Malia," Lydia said again, voice shaking with the effort to speak. "Tracy…Tracy thinks she's sleeping. She thinks she's dreaming. It's a night terror." Lydia's voice dipped down, trembling with pain.

"I don't know what that – "

"She's not awake, she's not dreaming," Lydia continued. "Get her to understand." Her voice faded as her eyes closed.

"Malia," the Sherriff rasped. The were-coyote turned around to look at her boyfriend's dad. "They're in the basement," he informed her.

" _They_?" Malia asked, confused.

"Tracy," Lydia clarified, as she opened her eyes again. They were wide and unseeing. "And my mother."

* * *

Jordan was lying on his couch, his shift for the day over. He was holding a playing card in his hand – the queen of diamonds. The caricature on the card held an uncanny resemblance to Loki – even the serenely mysterious smile and the unfathomable green eyes were spot on. He recalled a night when they'd been trying to figure out what he was – a conversation he and Loki had had.

 _Loki and Jordan were in the deserted Sherriff's Station, sitting at his desk. Loki held up a butane lighter, one of the cheap, disposable ones, and flicked it expertly so that the flame sparked. She glanced up at Jordan, a smile playing across her lips. He grinned back, a tad mockingly._

 _"You're going to do a magic trick?" He asked, teasing her. Loki smiled again, and let her thumb slip off of the lighter, extinguishing the flame._

 _"No," she replied. "But you are." Jordan raised his eyebrow, and shook his head, but decided to play along._

 _"I only know one trick and it's with a playing card," he informed her. Loki smiled back playfully and pulled her chair closer to him, so that there was only about six inches of space between them._

 _"Well," she said. "I'm about to teach you a new one. And it involves a lighter and your hand." Jordan dropped his hand from his face, looking at his girlfriend with an eyebrow raised in a mocking manner._

 _"This is sounding less like a magic trick and more like assault." Loki smirked devilishly. The mischievous expression was somehow just as fitting on her face as her angelic smile. As usual, everything about Loki was a paradox, an oxymoron. Nothing about her made sense. Jordan shook his head again._

 _"It's a little dangerous, true," she agreed. "But it's nothing compared to being lit on fire in a deputy sheriff's car." Loki raised an eyebrow. "Which, by the way, you walked away from…unscathed."_

 _"Not entirely. I had to pay for the uniform," he quipped. Loki gave him a look, unimpressed._

 _"Give me your hand," she ordered, holding out her own._

 _"I think I've seen something like this in a movie," he told her, extending his hand despite his protests._

 _"Lawrence of Arabia," Loki replied without missing a beat._

 _"Remind me what the trick is again?" Jordan asked, eyes locked on Loki's face._

 _"Not minding," she whispered. She flicked the lighter so that the flame was an inch away from the palm of his hand. Focusing on his face, Loki began to move it closer…closer…Jordan jerked his hand away, wincing._

 _"Ow! Son of a bitch," he muttered, before laughing as he shook his hand out. Loki laughed too, but when she looked at him, a challenge sparked in her eye._

 _"You can last longer than that," she teased. Jordan shook his head, huffing in amusement at Loki's antics. "This time," she said, curling her fingers around his loosely closed fist. "I want you to do something different. Don't think about the flame," she said, carefully stretching his hand out flat again. "Don't think about the heat. Don't think about it hurting." Loki pulled her hand back. "Don't even look at it. Focus on something else." Jordan raised an eyebrow._

 _"Okay." Loki held the flame below his palm again, and immediately he pulled it back. "Nope. Nope. Can't do it." Loki leaned back in her chair. She didn't look annoyed; she looked thoughtful. She brushed her forehead absentmindedly, a gesture like she was pushing hair out of her face, even though her curls were tied above her head in her usual messy bun._

 _"'Kay," she said. "Let me try something then. Focus on me," she suggested, her voice low. "Focus on my voice." Jordan nodded, once, and Loki flicked the lighter again, holding it about an inch below his palm. As she did so, she began to speak slowly. "Think about something right now. Think about something that's been bothering you, or something that has been making you happy, or something that has been puzzling you. Focus on that. Don't let it make you angry or giddy, just hold it your head. Remember it. Analyze it…" Loki's voice faded out._

 _Jordan could tell that she was still talking because her lips were moving. Distantly, he was aware that her voice was echoing around in her head, but the meaning of the words that sounded in his ears didn't register in his brain. Instead, he was focused on something else…_

 _"Oh!" Loki pulled her hand back, dropping the lighter on the desk instinctively. She winced. Jordan blinked in surprise. He had no idea how much time had passed._

 _"What happened?"_

 _"It was too hot," she admitted. She smiled at him sheepishly. "My thumb was too close to the flame." Jordan raised his eyebrows at her playfully._

 _"Ha," he said teasingly. "You deserved it." Loki grinned at him, wrinkling her nose in mock irritation and he smiled back. "You are okay, though, right?"_

 _"Fine," Loki reassured him. Her eyes flicked to his hand. "Are you?" Jordan turned his hand over. It was blackened with soot, but when he scraped his finger across the ash, the skin was unmarked, unburned._

 _"Did it hurt?" Loki asked, the smile gone. Now she was concerned, wondering if she'd been off her mark to do this. Jordan looked up at her, and shook his head. Her shoulders relaxed._

 _"How did you know how to do that?" he asked her. "That – whatever. Did you hypnotize me or something?" She smiled._

 _"It_ is _kind of like hypnosis, I guess," she replied. "But I think of it more like – guided meditation. It comes easy for me, because I'm good at telling people what to do." She smirked again, her lips lilting up in a lopsided, mischievous grin. "What were you thinking about?" She asked._

 _"A dream," he responded._

 _"What dream?"_

 _"I've had it here and there for about six months," he told her. "I'm walking in the woods, carrying a body. But it's completely burned. I can't see who it is, or who it was._

 _"Where are you taking it?" Loki asked, intrigued._

 _"A clearing," Jordan responded. "A huge tree in the middle of the woods, you'd think it's a thousand years old. But it's been cut down – it's just a stump." Loki closed her eyes when he said this, and he wondered why._

 _"It's a real tree," she had told him when she opened her eyes again. "It's here in Beacon Hills, too. It used to be the center of a grove of trees called a Nemeton."_

 _"What's a Nemeton?" Jordan had asked, confused._

 _"A sacred meeting place for Celtic Druids," Loki explained. "Scientists and healers from a thousand years ago."_

 _"I've never seen this place," Jordan muttered. He remembered being confused – he'd thought you couldn't dream about places or people you hadn't been to before._

 _"But that's why you're here," Loki told him. "It drew you here. That's what it does – it's a beacon for supernatural creatures. It might even make them more powerful." Loki's eyes flicked back up to Jordan's. "What else happens? In the dream?" He stood abruptly, turning around. He pressed a hand to his face, trying to remember._

 _"I put the body down," he said. "I lay it on the rings of the trees." He paused, struggling to recall what happened next._

 _"What?" Loki prompted._

 _"Nothing," he said, quickly. "That's the end of the dream." Loki leaned back in her chair, unconvinced. She could tell by his facial expression and his heartbeat that he was lying. She considered briefly trying to drag the rest out of him, but decided quickly against it. It wouldn't be fair for her to make him tell her things he didn't want to when she hid so much from him._

 _"Well," she began lightly, changing the topic. "I thought you'd be thinking about me." Jordan looked at her, surprised by the one-eighty in topic. Loki smirked. "Something that bothers you…puzzles you…" Jordan rolled his eyes, grinning at her affectionately. He reached down to touch her hand, pulling her into a standing position._

 _"You don't bother me," he reminded her. "I've told you that already."_

 _"But I puzzle you," she pressed, as the two walked out to his cruiser. Jordan laughed as he turned the keys in the ignition._

 _"Loki. I think you puzzle everyone." She smiled, leaning back against the seat._

 _"Ah, good. I like to maintain an air of mystery," she replied loftily. Once they arrived at her apartment building, Jordan waited for her to get out. She did so, but paused before turning to enter the building. He looked at her, confused, and she raised her eyebrows teasingly._

 _"Are you coming?" She asked him suggestively, her lips twitching into a smirk again. Jordan hesitated for just a moment, and then killed the engine, getting out of the car himself to follow her._

Jordan blinked, his mind thrust back to the present. He remembered his words: " _I only know one trick and it's with a playing card."_ Moving his thumb over the glossy surface of the card in his hands, Jordan flicked it upside down, practicing the trick.

The previously unblemished card was replaced with one that had been ruined with a burn mark right over the face of the queen. He flipped it over again, and the untouched card returned. Jordan slid his fingers apart, revealing two cards, one behind the other.

He blinked once, recalling the rest of the dream.

 _Jordan walked through the darkened forest, cradling the body of an unknown person. He set it gently on the large stump, looking around at the other bodies around him. Dozens of them, all burned badly. At least one of them was still alive, her eyes closed as she twitched with pain in her half-awake state._

 _Jordan sat down behind the body he has just brought, lowering his head into his hands. Flames flickered on his body, engulfing him in a bright orange glow. As the flames burned and flickered around him, Jordan raised his head._

 _His eyes, too, were glowing orange._

* * *

At long last, Loki began to feel paralysis leave her body. She could finally move her wrist. As feeling began to return, Loki realized how uncomfortable this position on the floor was. Her shoulder was strained, as she was situated so that all of her weight was resting on it.

Grunting, Loki rolled onto her back, muscles seizing uncomfortably as she did so. Clenching her jaw in concentration, Loki began to try to struggle into a sitting position. She turned her head, the sound of footsteps drawing her attention to the door. Stiles was there, his eyes wide with fear when he saw Lydia sprawled across the floor, Kira's hands red with her blood.

She was no longer moving, her eyelids flickering as she struggled to stay awake. Loki was painfully aware of how slow Lydia's heartbeat sounded. As Stiles watched, speechless, Theo shoved him aside, whipping his belt off. Carefully tying it around Lydia's middle, Theo began to cinch it tightly in order to make a tourniquet.

"Oh god," a voice whispered. It was Lydia's mom. She rushed into the room, kneeling next to her daughter with tears in her eyes. Loki could smell her panic; hear the spike of her heartbeat.

"Stiles," Scott called from the other room. The human didn't react at first, eyes locked on Lydia. "Stiles!" The human tore his eyes away from the girl on the ground, looking at Scott. "Stiles, come on."

Even as Loki finally managed to get herself into a sitting position, propped up by the desk behind her, her muscles were still stiff from lack of use and venom. Tracy must have cut her deeply. Loki could hear sirens in the distance. Lydia whimpered, but she managed a smile and a nod towards Stiles, who was still standing at the doorway, frozen.

"Tracy," she whispered. "Stiles, I'm fine. Help Tracy." The teenager nodded slowly, and finally turned around. He and his father and Scott and Deaton all disappeared, running towards the bottom level of the station where Tracy and Malia had disappeared.

Moments after they left, medical personal began to file into the station. Loki could hear one of them swear in surprise when they noticed the amount of blood on the floor. Suddenly, there were people around them. Most of them surrounded Lydia immediately, lifting her carefully on to a stretcher and talking quickly to one another. One knelt next to Loki, but before she could speak, the girl was waving her off.

"I'm fine," Loki insisted. She stuck a hand out. "Just – help me up." The EMT looked mildly irritated by her brusqueness, but hauled Loki to her feet nonetheless, and steadied her when she stumbled.

"Are you okay?" Someone asked. Loki turned her head. It was Theo, smiling at her hesitantly. His eyes were full of concern. Loki nodded, brushing her hair back out of her face habitually.

"Deep cut," she murmured, too low for any of the EMTs to hear. "It's going to take a while for the affects of the venom to completely wear off." He nodded, and offered her his arm to steady herself. Loki glanced at him, hesitating, and then nodded, wrapping her hand around his forearm as she stepped forward.

"Thanks."

* * *

Theo, Malia, Stiles, Kira, and Loki stood in the waiting room of the hospital, anxiously waiting to hear about Lydia's condition. Scott and Liam and Melissa were walking towards them. The nurse's face was calm, so Loki's shoulders relaxed. She didn't look like someone who was about to deliver bad news.

"Stiles," Melissa said, and the boy swung towards her.

"How bad is it?"

"Could have been worse," she responded. She turned to the boy standing next to him. "Theo, nice going with that tourniquet. You probably saved her life." Melissa turned around again, so that she was facing her son this time. "Alright. She's about to go into surgery, so it's going to be a while. Any other supernatural details I need to know about, or do we just stitch her up and hope for the best?"

"It was the tail," Kira offered. Scott nodded.

"Yeah. Tracy cut her with the tail, if that makes a difference." Melissa nodded.

"Okay." The nurse left then, ready to attend to Lydia.

"But it wasn't just Tracy," Malia added suddenly. Loki looked over at her, surprised. Malia's eyes were wide and earnest. "There were the others. The guys in the masks."

* * *

Lydia groaned, the sounds of punching and shouting waking her up. For a half second, Lydia panicked, wondering what was happening to her friends, who they were fighting. She then realized that how theatrical the sounds were, and remembered she was in the hospital.

Sitting up, Lydia saw Loki in the chair next to her bed. She was watching the TV absentmindedly. It was playing some blurry channel of martial arts fighting. Realizing that Lydia was awake, Loki turned around. She grinned.

"Hey."

"What are you doing here?" Lydia asked, rubbing her eyes.

"I volunteered to keep an eye on you just in case," Loki replied flippantly, pulling her chair closer towards Lydia's bed so she could talk to her friend better. "My grades can afford to take a hit. Not everyone's can." Lydia frowned.

"I'm in the ICU," Lydia said, looking around. "Isn't only family allowed in?" Loki flashed a wide grin at Lydia.

"Usually." Lydia rolled her eyes fondly. Of course Loki could get in. "Glad to see your strong enough to mock me," Loki teased. "Unfortunately," she continued, glaring pointedly at the screen behind her. "This place has nothing to watch except this stupid kung fu movie with poor cinematography. At least you're awake now to keep me company." The Banshee stared at the screen, her eyes sharp with interest.

"Do you know how to do that?" Lydia asked Loki, inclining her head towards the TV. Loki turned back towards the screen. She laughed.

"Surprisingly, yes." Loki rolled her eyes. "You may have noticed the twins and Ennis were less refined with their tactics of 'bite first, ask questions later,' but between Kali and Deucalion…I know a little here and there." Loki shrugged, lifting one shoulder off-handedly. "Why do you ask? You've seen me fight." Lydia shrugged. She was quiet for a moment and then:

"Will you teach me?" Loki blinked, clearly startled by Lydia's question.

"You – you want to learn hand-to-hand combat?"

"I want to learn to fight," Lydia clarified. Loki tipped her chin back, surveying Lydia in a new way. Loki had always liked Lydia, but something about this new determination in her sparked a new respect for her friend. Loki nodded once.

"Alright then." Loki's eyes narrowed, like she was already planning how to train her friend. "You'll learn."

* * *

Lydia was deeply asleep again. So deeply asleep, in fact, that the sound of agonized screaming didn't even make her flinch. Loki winced, raising a hand to rub at her sensitive ears. When the screaming didn't stop, Loki glanced anxiously at Lydia's sleeping body, and then at the nurse's station next to the ICU. The nurse on-duty looked up, and smiled reassuringly at Loki.

"It's okay to take a break, sweetie," the woman told her. "I'll keep an eye on her until you get back." Loki hesitated. She was concerned that if she left, people would start to remember that non-family members weren't allowed to visit patients in the ICU, and she would be kicked out.

Another scream ripped through the air, making the nurse and Loki grimace again. The werewolf made up her mind.

"Maybe I'll just…stretch my legs for a bit," Loki murmured, pointing at the door. She got up, closing the door quietly behind her. Pausing for just a moment to _actually_ stretch, Loki then took off towards the sound of the screams.

It didn't take her long. Loki came across Melissa, Liam's stepdad, and two other nurses struggling to restrain a teenager boy. He was sobbing and wailing in agony as he writhed in pain on the stretcher. One of the male nurses grimaced in sympathy as he began to push the stretcher towards an unoccupied room.

"Woah," Loki muttered under her breath, eyes wide. Melissa saw her and nodded. She said something to the doctor, and pulled Loki off to the side.

"We don't know exactly what's wrong with him," she told the werewolf in a low voice. "But he came in about forty-five minutes ago." Loki was startled. Had it really taken her that long to notice his screams? "The pain started getting really bad about ten minutes ago." Oh, that explained it.

"Melissa." Liam's stepdad stopped by the nurse. "I'm going to find an anesthesiologist specializing in acute pain. See what you can do." The nurse nodded.

"What's happening to him?" the Beta questioned, walking after Melissa as she moved to enter the room.

"It's the pain. Nothing's working. We've already pumped him full of morphine…the next thing we can do it put him in a medical induced coma." Loki nodded.

"Let me see if I can help." Melissa pressed her lips together, hesitating. Then she nodded.

* * *

Loki bent over the boy, biting her lip. His face was slicked with sweat, an entire sheen of it covering his body and making his shirt stick to his chest. His hair was matted down.

Someone had attached leather cuffs to the bed that surrounded his wrists and ankles to keep him in place as his body arched on the bed.

"Please," he begged, sobbing. "Make it stop."

"Okay," Loki said. "Okay, calm down." She clasped his hand in hers, closing her eyes. As soon as she touched him, Loki's mouth dropped open. She'd taken others pain before, many times. Usually it was a mildly uncomfortable feeling, a sort of ache. Even when she'd given up her power as an Alpha to save Aiden, it hadn't felt like this. She had never felt anything like this.

The pain was agonizing. It was a burning, acidic feeling that coursed from her hands where she'd touched his skin to her whole body. She could feel it infiltrating her very nerves. It turned her blood into lava underneath her skin, and where her bones melting? It felt like they were.

"Loki!" Someone that wasn't Melissa was yelling her name. "Loki, let go of him!" It was a familiar voice. Distantly, she was aware of someone wrapping their arms around her waist, tugging her away from the boy.

Loki's hands unclasped around the boy's, and her knees gave out. She would have hit the ground, but the person who had grabbed her pulled her back to her feet. For a moment, just basing it off the gentle, tender way the person held her, Loki thought it was one of the twins. It took her a minute to realize that it was Scott.

She gasped, breath coming in quick, short pants as she struggled to fill her lungs with air. Slowly, the pain faded into a distant memory, and she managed to straighten up.

"I'm okay," she gasped. Scott set her on her feet, eyes crinkled with concern. Kira was there too, by the door with Melissa. She must have called them. "I'm okay," Loki repeated. She looked over at the teenager. He had stopped screaming, and his body was relaxed against the bed, his eyes closed. "Let me see his arm," she requested, noticing a bandage covering his forearm. She was guessing it was the source of the pain, and she was curious to see what kind of injury had inflicted _that._

Melissa stepped forward, carefully unwrapping the shackle around the boy's wrist. She pulled the bandage back, revealing a grisly wound. It was oozing a lot of thick, dark blood, and it seemed to have burned part of his skin away.

"Holy…" Kira muttered, stepping closer for a better look. "What is that?"

"The lab says scorpion venom," Melissa responded. Loki frowned.

" _Scorpion_?" She repeated, incredulous.

"I know," the nurse said. "But that's not the weirdest part. Because a sting this bad means that he should have been dead ten hours ago. And that the scorpion that stung him would have been ten feet tall."

"Please tell me that doesn't mean there's a giant scorpion running around Beacon Hills," Kira said. Before anyone could answer, the boy on the bed gasped.

"Lucas," he whispered. Everyone in the room fell silent, looking towards him. He blinked. "It was Lucas."

* * *

"Hey, Corey," Scott said, leaning over the bed to talk to the boy. "What Lucas did to you, he's going to do it to someone else. And it's going to be a lot worse."

"We need to know what happened," Kira added. She was nervous, wringing her hands. Corey stopped examining his arm to look at the other teenagers.

"I don't really know," he told them. Loki sat down on the foot of the bed and he looked at her. She offered him his hand, and he took it. Loki carefully helped Corey into a sitting position.

"Can you just tell us what you think happened?" Loki asked him quietly. He hesitated, and then nodded.

"He's never really been like that before," he began. Scott shifted impatiently, but before he could ask for clarification, Loki held up a hand.

"Corey." He looked at her. "We need you to be really specific, okay? We really need your help. Just tell us what you think happened, with as many details as possible, okay?" Loki touched his arm gently, in a comforting way. "Please."

"I mean aggressive," Corey clarified. "We were taking it slow, but it wasn't me. He was the shy one. Then we were hanging out today and it's like he was a different person." Corey paused.

"Different how?" Scott asked.

"Like – super confident," Corey said. "We were just kissing, and I felt this sharp sting on my arm." Corey glanced down at his wounded forearm. "I looked up at him a – and I swear…" Corey trailed off, shaking his head. "It sounds so stupid."

"Don't worry about that," Loki reassured him. "Just tell us everything." Corey nodded.

"I swear…I swear his eyes turned black." Kira stepped forward.

"You mean totally black?" She asked.

"The whole eye." Corey nodded. "But it was only for a second. And then he said sorry, that he'll see me at the club tonight, and then he just left. A few minutes later, I'm in the worst pain of my life." Kira was pacing back and forth in front of the hospital bed, but suddenly she turned around.

"Hold on. You said club. What club?" She asked intensely.

"Every Friday night," Corey said. "Sinema." Loki heard two heartbeats spike. Kira and Scott, for whatever reason, reacted to this.

"What?" Loki asked, turning towards her friends. "What is it?" Scott shook his head, eyes wide with concern.

"Liam and Mason are there."

* * *

Kira and Scott had returned from the club. Apparently, Lucas was dead - killed by the creatures in masks that Malia had described. And from what Loki had overheard, the body was still covered with spikes and had claws. Loki waited impatiently for Scott to leave the morgue, and when he did so, she ran after him.

"Scott – Scott!" The boy turned around. Loki was running up to him. She looked agitated. "What are we going to do?" She asked him, voice low. "About the body with the stingers?" Scott shook his head.

"We're not going to do anything," he told her. Loki stared at him for a second, eyes wide as she processed what he had said.

"What does that mean?" Her voice was suddenly detached, and colder than Scott had ever heard it.

"I mean that the coroners will come up with some explanation about the stingers in his arms. That's what my mom said." Scott paused when he saw the look on Loki's face. She took a deep breath, trying to control her fury.

"No. No. You can't let them do that." Scott stared at her, trying to understand why she was so upset.

"Loki. It's fine. This is the first time they'll have dealt with something like this, it won't be a prob – "

"And how do you think they're going to react the next time something like this happens?" Loki snapped. Her eyes were flashing with a vicious anger Scott had never seen before. He took a step back. "Or the time after that?" Loki shook her head in disgust. "Eventually, they'll figure it out. And you know what happens to most humans that learn about the supernatural world?"

"Loki," Scott said quietly. "It's going to be –"

" _Don't_ tell me it's going to be fine, McCall," she snarled at him. "Do you _know_ what happens when humans learn about the supernatural world?" Scott shook his head slowly. Loki's eyes hardened. For once, they showed her emotions plain and clear. Pure, unadulterated _fury._

"They end up in Eichen House," Loki said, her voice low. Somehow it was more terrifying than if she was yelling at him. "And not as the patients. As the _nurses_ and the orderlies in the closed ward." Loki's voice cracked suddenly, and she closed her eyes. Her hands were tightened into fists, and as Scott watched her, speechless, he saw blood beginning to ooze out between his fingers.

"Loki," he said, gently, like he was trying to comfort a cornered animal. "Relax. You're hurting yourself." Loki let her hands uncurl, and then flexed her bloody fingers like she was considering punching him in the jaw. Instead, she just glared at him.

"Just let it be clear where I stand on this," she said icily. With that, Loki whipped around, stalking off in the other direction. Her shoulders were still drawn together, her muscles clenched in a tight whip of anger. Scott watched her go, his heart thudding unevenly in his chest as guilt welled up in him.

* * *

 **okay so please please please leave a review! i appreciate any and all feedback, and it really inspires me to write. so, please? :)**

 **thank you!**


	19. A Novel ApproachRequired Reading

**I suck so much sorry for the wait.**

 **Also heads up - there's like a flashback within a flashback within a flashback in this chapter...I tried to make it clear but it's still kind of messy...hopefully it's not too confusing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf, only Loki.**

* * *

* _FLASHBACK*_

"Loki?" Scott called gently. There was no response, and he knocked on the door to her apartment again. "Loki, please." The door swung open slowly, and the teenage girl stared back at Scott impassively. She was wearing sweatpants and a black tank top, and her hair was tied away from her face as usual. Scott pressed his lips together, noting the dark smudges underneath her eyes with concern.

"Come in," she offered, moving aside to allow him to step into the hallway. Scratching the back of his head nervously, Scott stepped over the threshold of the apartment. Loki closed the door, and crossed her arms over her chest as she tilted her head back to look at Scott. She hated being short sometimes.

"Look, I came to say I'm so –"

"You don't have to apologize," Loki cut him off. Scott paused, and noticed with a jolt that she looked uncomfortable too. Not her face – her face was as carefully devoid of emotion as it usually was, but her posture was tense and stiff, awkward. She smiled at him tightly. "I – I wasn't wrong, I don't think. But I shouldn't have yelled, regardless of how angry I was. I'm sorry." Scott blinked, staggered by her apology.

"Oh. Um, it's fine. And anyways, what I also came to do was to tell you that the body's gone. So – you don't have to worry about that, at least." Scott studied Loki's face, a brief suspicion passing through his mind. Had _she_ taken the body? He decided quickly that she hadn't, because the flash of shock across her face was as genuine as any part of Loki's emotions were.

"Gone?" She repeated, clearly startled. She blinked, shaking her head in disbelief. "Wow."

"All of them," Scott clarified. "Someone broke into the animal clinic and took Tracy's body, and Lucas's is missing from the morgue. Someone's – someone is _stealing_ them." Something passed over Loki's face, a sort of realization that Scott didn't understand. He frowned. "What?"

"Nothing," she responded. "Just – confused." Scott hesitated, not quite sure if he believed her or not. If she could sense his doubt, which she probably could, she didn't show it. Her eyes lifted to meet his coolly, and she tilted her head, waiting for a response from him.

"Well," he said, after a long moment of charged silence. "I guess I should go. I'll see you in school tomorrow." Loki nodded, already twisting the doorknob to let him out.

"See you then."

* * *

Loki rubbed the back of her neck as she walked into the school building. She remembered her conversation with Scott last night; how he'd theorized that someone was stealing the bodies. Which had made her recall her conversation with Jordan from a few months ago, about a dream he'd been having. No, not just a dream - a recurring one. Was it possible that the two were connected?

It seemed likely, but Loki didn't want to tell Scott about Jordan's dream without first confronting her boyfriend. And she had _no_ idea how to approach this topic to Jordan.

"Loki." Scott's voice jolted the Beta from her thoughts, and she turned towards the other teenager expectantly. He seemed nervous again, even more so than last night. His nerves set Loki on edge as well.

"What's up?" she asked. Instead of answering, Scott handed her a bundle of papers. It was a photocopy of an entire book, one called _The Dread Doctors._ Loki read the title aloud, and then looked up at Scott in confusion. "You really think this is a lead?" She asked dubiously, flipping through the pages in an absent-minded fashion. Scott nodded.

"I do." He hesitated. "You're not going to like this, but – read the acknowledgements page. In the back." Loki did as she was told, flipping to the end of the photocopy. She read the words, and realized why he was nervous immediately.

"'For providing scientific perspective and invaluable insight…'" Loki's entire body filled with dread as she finished the sentence with a sigh. "'This book is dedicated to Doctor Gabriel Valack.'" Closing her eyes, Loki let her hand fall to her side. She took a deep breath. "I take it we're going to see him?" She asked, voice higher than normal.

"You don't have to come." Scott told her immediately. "Malia's not going, and Lydia's trying to convince Stiles to stay. I just – I wanted to keep you in the loop." Even as he spoke to hastily reassure her, Loki could sense the conflicted longing in his voice. He wanted her to come, but he also wanted her to stay and be safe. She remembered the last time she'd been at Eichen, what had happened…she opened her eyes.

"I can't go back there, Scott," she told him, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can't. I'm sorry." Scott nodded, and he reached out, pulling her into a hug. He kissed her on the forehead, in a manner so familiar to when they were dating that it did the opposite of relax Loki.

"Don't worry about it," he told her.

* * *

 _Malia jump-kicked the Dread Doctor in the chest, and Loki crouched down, swinging one leg out and knocking the Doctor's feet out from underneath him. Shooting to her feet, Loki lifted her fists, but before she could throw another punch, she gasped, and her arms fell to her side. She stumbled backwards, expressing slackening as her mind shot a million miles away._

 _"Loki!" Malia shouted as the Pathologist stepped forward, easily swiping her friend to the ground. Loki crumpled to the floor, eyes wide and unseeing as she became lost in a flashback._

 _Growling, Malia stepped in front of her friend's prone body, taking another high roundhouse kick at the Doctor and then swiping him across the chest. Scott pushed himself up from the ground enough to watch his friends fight. His eyes widened when he saw Loki curled on the ground, and his breath wheezed again as panic for her coursed through him. Emotional distress_ really _did not help an asthma attack._

 _Scott's attention flickered to his mother, who was crouched next to him. His eyes widened when he saw the needle in his hand._

 _"Wait a minute!" he gasped. "What is that?"_

 _"A bronchodilator," she told him. "Trust me, it will work." At that, she stabbed it into his leg, pressing down to inject the medicine. Scott winced, eyes widening with pain. Melissa turned her head to look at the girl still fighting and at the one on the ground. "Malia, come on!" She shouted from the elevator. "Run!" The Doctor took the were-coyote's moment of distraction and wrapped a hand around her throat. Malia gasped, eyes going wide as the air whooshed out of her lungs._

 _Chopping her elbow down on the Doctor's wrist, Malia was able to stumble free. Pausing only to grab Loki's arm and pull the girl's limp body over her shoulders, Malia broke out into a run for the elevator car. The Pathologist started after her, but his walk was clunky and slow due to the armor he wore._

 _As Malia crossed the threshold of the car, Melissa pressed down on the close door button. The teenager's back slammed against the wall, and Loki's body slumped to the side. The Pathologist reached out, and the silver doors slid shut just as his hand started to cross the entryway._

 _The lights in the elevator flickered as it started to move upwards, and Scott gasped. He glanced from his mother's pale and shocked face to Malia's tense posture to Loki who was curled limply on the ground, eyelids trembling._

 _"We never should have read that book."_

* * *

* _PRE-FLASHBACK*_

A knock on Loki's door pulled her from her studying.

"It's unlocked, Lydia," Loki called. She'd invited the other girl over so that they could continue Lydia's training. The two girls had met three times before, where Loki had just been going over the basics of hand-to-hand combat with Lydia. After having her work with a punching bag for those few times, Loki had finally deemed the other girl ready to move on to actual sparring, much to Lydia's excitement.

"Ready?" Loki asked. Lydia nodded, and Loki led her over to the room closest to the living room. It had previously been Ennis and Kali's bedroom, but Loki had since move all the furniture out and repurposed it as an area to train her friend.

"Now," Loki said, stopping in the center of the room. Of course, when Loki had learned to fight, it had been in a setting far larger than this one, but this room was big enough to allow for the type of fighting that Lydia would be doing. "What's the first thing I told you?"

"Arms up." Lydia replied without missing a beat, dropping her purse on the ground. The photocopied book was sticking out of the top of her bag, and Loki looked away. She nodded approvingly at Lydia's answer instead.

"Why?" Loki prompted her friend to elaborate, and Lydia blinked.

"Um – because it blocks the face and head from attack, but doesn't block line of sight?" She sounded slightly unsure, a tone of voice that was unusual for the strawberry blonde girl.

"Good," Loki approved, smiling. She paused. "Are you sure you're up for this?" Loki asked, suddenly serious. "How are your stitches?"

"Fine," Lydia replied without missing a beat. "I'm ready." Loki vacillated for a moment, making Lydia roll her eyes, and then shrugged.

"Alright. I'll be able to smell the blood, I guess, but I'll pull my punches. No need to tempt fate." Lydia nodded.

"Should I do the same?" She asked, hesitantly. Loki smirked, and then laughed aloud.

"Ho _ney_ ," the werewolf drawled teasingly. "As if you could hurt me." Lydia's mouth dropped open in mock-offense, and then she laughed as well. "One more thing," Loki said, as Lydia raised her arms in front of her face. "Fighting is – all it is is muscle memory." Lydia nodded, absorbing the information silently. Here eyes narrowed as she focused.

Loki let Lydia make the first move. The redhead lunged out, eyes aimed on Loki's shoulder. Despite forcing herself to move without werewolf reflexes, Loki easily twisted away from the other girl's jab. As Lydia's hit fell short she became distracted, and her hands fell from her face. Seeing this and taking advantage of it, Loki sprang forward.

Grabbing Lydia's arm carefully, Loki kicked Lydia behind her knee as gently as she could. The light tap along with Loki's hand pushing Lydia off-balance was enough to make the Banshee fall to her knees - Loki may not have been using a lot of force, but she still had super-strength. Lydia groaned in frustration, and Loki offered her hand to the other girl. Sighing, Lydia took it.

"You okay?" Loki checked, easily hauling Lydia to her feet. She nodded, wincing. "Good. You know what you forgot?"

"To keep my hands in front of my face," Lydia grunted. She sounded displeased, but Loki was smiling reassuringly. She put her hand on Lydia's shoulder.

"It's okay. It just takes time." Lydia nodded, shoulders sagging. Suddenly, she tensed up, whimpering in shock and grimacing. "Lydia!" Loki steadied her friend when she stumbled, and watched anxiously as Lydia's features relaxed again. "Are you okay? What was that?" Lydia's eyes were fixed on the book sticking out of her bag.

"Muscle memory," she breathed. Loki blinked, shaking her head.

"What do you mean?" Lydia sighed, turning around slowly.

"Something Valack said the other night," Lydia told her friend. She began to explain what they'd learned at Eichen. "He told us that the Dread Doctors use electromagnetic forces to give them their powers. Among other things, it makes people forget they ever saw them. Once they read the book…they remember." Loki was silent, and Lydia looked up.

"You saw them," Loki said. It wasn't a question. Lydia nodded.

"During my surgery. But I don't – I can't remember. I need to remember. We all do."

* * *

After finishing up, Lydia drove Loki over to Scott's house, where they planned to meet to read the book. As the teenagers gathered around the glass table in Scott's kitchen, they stared at the photocopies and the one paperback copy of the book laying in front of them.

"My mom's book club usually has more wine," Lydia observed.

"Well, they probably also didn't read books that cause violent hallucinations," Stiles muttered. Scott looked at the one person there who had already read the book -Malia.

"That's why Malia's here," he reminded everyone. The were-coyote nodded slowly, her face guarded carefully.

"So none of us go running into traffic," Kira finished. Scott nodded, blinking rapidly as he looked at the table.

"Or worse," he murmured quietly, staring down resolutely.

"Like what happened to Judy," Malia observed. Everyone stared at her in confusion, and she motioned towards the books laying on the table. "Chapter fourteen," she explained. Lydia frowned, picking up the paperback copy and looking at it critically.

"Maybe I should have my mother read it," Lydia muttered, mostly to herself. "She might remember a girl with a tail leaping off the ceiling and attacking everyone."

"If it works," Loki said. She was still dubious of any information that had been received from Valack, even if it was their only lead.

"It has to work," Lydia insisted. "I think I saw them during my surgery." She hesitated. "When I look at the cover of the book, it's almost like…" she trailed off, and Theo picked up the end of her sentence.

"A memory trying to surface." Lydia nodded, her eyes faraway.

"Isn't that what Valack wanted when he wrote it?" Kira asked. Lydia's eyes slid back into focus, and her grip tightened around the book.

"If they did something to me," she said. "I want to know what it is." Sighing, Loki picked up one of the photocopies, flopping down on an armchair in Scott's living room. The other teenagers did the same, settling in to read.

"Too bad there's no wine," Loki muttered sarcastically, flipping the front page over.

* * *

After several hours of flipping through the pages, Loki's patience was wearing thin. The book was poorly written and unexciting, and it was somehow making her hate Valack more than she already did.

"Anyone feeling anything yet?" Scott asked. He sounded just as weary as Loki felt, and by the amount of times he'd shifted on the couch in the last minute, he was just as bored.

"Tired," Kira muttered, rubbing the bridge of her nose carefully. She closed her eyes for a long moment, and then opened them again.

"Hungry," Lydia added.

"Irritated," Loki drawled.

"I think he meant the book," Theo reminded them.

"Fine," Loki said, sitting up slightly. "Then I'm irritated by the lack of intelligent prose and interesting plotline _in_ the book." She smirked at Theo, rolling her eyes. He shook his head, turning away, and Loki slumped against the arm of the chair again, faintly wondering to herself why she felt the need to antagonize everybody.

Kira sighed, letting the sheath of papers fall into her lap as she flopped against the couch, closing her eyes. Scott looked up from his own reading, glancing at his girlfriend in concern.

"You're not giving up, are you?"

"Just resting my eyes," Kira responded. Her voice was thick with exhaustion, and she cracked her eyes just long enough to turn the lamp beside her off.

* * *

Theo glanced around the room. Everyone was asleep, sprawled across the floor and couches. Loki had been the last to drift off, but now even she was unmoving, her breath even and slow. Kira had moved into Scott's room, so after being sure that no one would notice his absence, Theo stood up and walked away. He didn't notice that at the quiet whisper of his feet against the ground, Loki's eyes snapped open immediately.

Squinting her eyes to see better, Loki watched as Theo padded out of the room and up the stairs. Rising slowly, Loki followed him, her feet falling soundlessly against the ground. She wasn't exactly suspicious of Theo the way Stiles was, but his walking around Scott's house in the middle of the night bothered her a little.

Theo walked down the hallway to Scott's room, and placed his hand on the doorknob. He began to twist it very slowly, like he was afraid of being heard. Or, maybe, Loki reminded herself, like he didn't want to wake anyone up.

"Looking for something?" Loki called causally. Her voice was low, but Theo still jumped. He whirled around, his hand slipping of the knob as he turned. His eyes were wide with shock.

"Loki!" He exclaimed, surprised. "I thought you were asleep."

"Evidently," Loki muttered. She jutted a finger over the shoulder. "Bathroom's right there, if that's what you're looking for."

"No," Theo said, smiling. He felt that he was maybe trying a bit too hard to seem easygoing, but he couldn't help it. Loki was too perceptive – it made him nervous. "I thought I'd check on Kira," he continued. "She seemed a little…."

"Out of sorts?" Loki finished. She nodded, agreeing with him. "Yeah, I thought so too." Shouldering past Theo, she pushed the door open, leaving the Chimera with no other choice but to follow her into the room.

The door creaked slightly when Loki opened it, but Kira was deeply enough asleep that she didn't notice. The Kitsune lay sprawled across the bed, over the covers, her mouth moving as she muttered to herself in quietly. The copy of the book lay next to her.

"She's talking in her sleep," Loki muttered as they moved towards her. She glanced at Theo, eyebrows furrowed. "In Japanese."

"What's she saying?" Theo asked.

"How should I know?" Loki responded. She walked over to Kira, hesitantly reaching a hand out as if to wake her.

"Wait," Theo said, grabbing Loki's arm and pulling her back from the other girl. She shot him a look, confused.

Kneeling down, Theo moved slowly, as not to wake Kira. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and switched on the recording app, holding the microphone right by her mouth. Loki glanced at Theo as he did so, and was surprised by his facial expression. His eyes were dark and empty looking, in such a way that it sent a chill down Loki's spine.

* * *

"So, while introducing the African Cane Toad sounded like a good way to deal with Australia's infestation of the grey-backed beetle, unfortunately the toad also happened to eat everything else in sight." Mrs. Finch was lecturing the class the next day at school, teaching them about invasive species.

" _Loki."_ She turned her head to the side, Theo's low murmur catching her attention. She raised an eyebrow inquisitively, and he jutted his chin forward. Loki followed his gaze, and saw Sydney in front of her. The girl was scratching her head.

Raising her eyebrows, Loki nudged Lydia. The Banshee looked up, and Loki nodded towards the girl sitting in front of them. Lydia frowned, pulling her phone out so she could text Theo. Loki dropped her gaze to her notebook, taking notes on Mrs. Finch's lecture half-heartedly while the two girls waited for his response.

Lydia's phone buzzed, and she tilted the screen so Loki could see.

 **Theo: Look at her hair.**

Loki looked up again, and saw that when Sydney removed her hand from her head, a clump of brown hair was coiled in her hand. The girl's heartbeat spiked, and the smell of her anxiety and fear was so potent and unexpected that Loki almost gagged.

Without warning, Sydney rose from her seat. She scooped up all her things, and walked to Mrs. Finch's desk. The teacher paused from her lecture and watched silently as Sydney placed one of the course drop forms in the wire wicker basket.

"Wise choice, Sydney," Mrs. Finch said, not unkindly. Sydney didn't respond, but bowed her head and rushed from the room. Her heart was still pounding. Lydia rose from her seat sharply, her intent to follow the girl clear. "Lydia!" Mrs. Finch called, making the Banshee stop short. "You know it's for the best."

Lydia hesitated briefly, but didn't answer. She ran out of the room after Sydney.

* * *

A scream split the silence in the classroom as Mrs. Finch handed back their quizzes. Loki froze from where she was putting her paper away, one hand trembling over her folder. She shot to her feet, shoving her chair back and running for the door.

Following the source of the noise with Scott and Theo just behind her, Loki burst into Mrs. Martin's office. In her haste, she almost tripped over Lydia, who was sprawled across the ground. Her eyes were fixed on the ceiling, wide and unseeing. Sydney was kneeling next to her. The girl's eyes were wide with panic.

"I don't know what happened, she just collapsed." Sydney's voice was trembling.

"It's okay," Loki said soothingly. "We'll stay with her. Can you find her mom?" Sydney nodded, and shot to her feet, rushing out of the room. When Loki turned back around, Lydia was already slowly coming back to herself. She squeezed her eyes shut and then opened them, blinking a few times as if to clear her vision.

"Lydia," Scott said, his voice calm and steady. "Are you okay?" Lydia closed her eyes again, and didn't answer. Her hand was trembling against the ground, and Scott covered it with his own, squeezing it comfortingly.

"I'm okay," she murmured. She blinked her eyes a few times as if to clear them. "I'm fine."

"You remembered something," Theo noted. He leaned forward, over Scott's shoulder. Lydia nodded, and then shook her head.

"Not about the Dread Doctors," she whispered. "Nothing about them or the surgery." Loki frowned, offering her hand to Lydia to pull her up off the ground.

"What was it, then?" She asked the other girl as she and Scott helped Lydia into a chair at the near by table. Lydia was still trembling, and she clasped her hands together once she was safely in the seat.

"My grandmother," Lydia replied, taking a shaky breath. "At Eichen House." As usual, Loki grimaced at the mention of the place. Before the Banshee would expand on her memory, her mother burst into the room, looking frantic. Her eyes fell on her daughter, but the relief when she saw her awake was quickly quelled by her distress at the situation.

"Lydia!" Mrs. Martin cried, rushing over to her daughter. "Lydia, oh my god. What happened?" She knelt in front of her daughter, touching her face gently. "Are you alright?"

"Mom, I'm fine," Lydia insisted, voice low. "It was nothing."

"Was it a blackout?" her mom pressed, ignoring her daughter. "Did you faint?" Lydia hesitated, staring at her mom. She nodded slowly.

"Yeah. Yeah, I fainted." Her mother frowned in concern, gently stroking Lydia's hair. She seemed unconvinced. Lydia closed her eyes, looking slightly impatient. "Mom, I'm fine. I promise."

* * *

Theo entered the locker room and found Scott sitting on one of the benches. He was turning the asthma inhaler Liam had given him over in his hand, examining it closely. The Alpha was still surprised that he'd had an asthma attack, after all this time. He was slowly convincing himself that it was just a side effect of the flashback, but still.

"You gonna be okay?" Theo asked the Alpha as he opened his gym locker. He wanted to tell Scott what had happened with Kira last night before Loki did, and now seemed like the best chance. Scott looked up, and forced a smile. He nodded once.

"Yeah. I think it was just the memory hitting me," he said, not sounding completely certain of this theory. "Psychosomatic thing." Theo nodded. "Did you want to talk about something?" Scott asked, picking up on Theo's hesitation.

Deciding to play the role of a concerned friend, Theo shook his head and slammed the locker door shut. He smiled at Scott reassuringly.

"No. It can wait." Scott shook his head.

"No. No, it's okay. You can tell me." Theo pretended to deliberate for a second longer, and then nodded, pulling his phone out of his pocket and sitting down across from Scott.

"Last night, you guys all fell asleep – except Loki." Scott rolled his eyes, unsurprised that Loki still wasn't sleeping. "We went to check on Kira. She was sleeping, but…" Theo trailed off, trying to figure out how to phrase his next words without sounding insane. Before he could speak again, Scott leaned closer, interest piqued. He could guess what Theo was about to say.

"You heard her speaking Japanese?" Scott guessed, eyes wide. Theo nodded.

"I didn't just hear it." He held his phone up and hit the play button. Kira's voice filled the silence of the locker room, her slurred Japanese words sounding exhausted and familiar.

"That's what she said at the club," Scott recalled. He looked at Theo, a crease of worry in between his eyebrows.

"I found a website that can translate it," Theo said. He paused, like he didn't want to say more, and Scott's eyebrows furrowed deeper. Theo sighed. "It means, roughly, 'I am the messenger of death.'" Scott bent his head down, blinking his eyes rapidly. He gripped the edges of the bench like he was trying to anchor himself, and nodded his head.

"Something's happening," he muttered, almost more to himself than to Theo. "Something's happening to her. She's got this aura around her…it's hard to explain." Scott glanced up at Theo, swallowing hard, struggling to keep his emotions in check. "Um…it's supposed to be part of her. But now it looks different. Like…it's almost like it's trying to take over her. I don't know. Something's happening." Scott paused, staring at the ground. "And to be honest…" he trailed off, unsure if he should say the thought that had been plaguing his mind forever.

"What?" Theo pressed. Scott looked up.

"I don't know if I can trust her anymore." As Scott's words sunk into the heavy silence of the locker room, the lights flickered. Startled, both teenagers turned their attention to the ceiling, watching the overhead lights in the room flash on and off as they'd been doing all day. After a few seconds of wavering light, the lights in the room turned off completely, plunging the two werewolves into shadowy darkness.

* * *

"Scott?" Loki called down the empty, dark hallway of the high school. "Scott, where are you?"

"Here, Loki." His disembodied voice echoed slightly, and Loki's shoulders tightened as she jogged down the hallway to meet him and Theo. As she slowed to halt in front of them, Malia descended down the staircase just to the left.

"Where's Kira?" Scott asked, puzzled by the were-coyote's solitude.

"Still at the library," she replied as the four teenagers began to walk down the hallway. "Stiles and Lydia are at the hospital."

"Doing what?" Theo asked.

"Lydia's trying to figure out what happened during her surgery," Malia told him.

"How long are they going to be there?" Loki asked. She had to quicken her pace to keep up with the taller teenagers' longer legs.

"They said they're just waiting for the power to come back on." At that, Scott paused, turning to Theo with wide eyes. Theo nodded, clearly understanding whatever message the Alpha was trying to convey. The message that Malia and Loki weren't getting.

"What?" Both girls asked at the same time.

"We have to get to the hospital," Scott muttered, breaking into a run. Theo followed him immediately, but Malia and Loki paused to give each other a bewildered and slightly irritated look before following.

"Scott!" Loki called, as she jogged after him. "Scott!" He turned around, raising his eyebrows impatiently as he continued to walk briskly towards the exit. "What's going on?" She asked him seriously. Without answering, Scott pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it to her.

Loki took it from him, confused. Malia leaned over the other girls shoulder as they peered down at the picture displayed on the screen. It was a bunch of cables that had been cut; the sparks flying the exposed wires clear even in the photo.

No, Loki realized slowly, not _cut_. The wires had been chewed through.

* * *

The four teenagers burst through the entrance of the hospital, and once they were inside the building, slowed their pace to a less conspicuous speed. Scott turned around so he was facing his friends.

"You guys try to find Stiles and Lydia," he ordered. "I'm going to find my mom." The four split up. Loki picked a random corridor and starting down it in search of her friends. It didn't take her long to determine that neither of them had been that way in a while, and she switched directions aimlessly. As she did so, the sound of wheezing hit her ears. At first, she assumed it was just some poor patient, but she then realized there was an edge of familiarity to the wheezing.

"Scott," she realized, her breath hissing as she exhaled. Spinning around, Loki sprinted through the hallways, ignoring the yell of a random nurse for her to slow down.

"Loki!" Someone else called. A woman grabbed her by the forearms, making Loki turn towards her. It was Melissa. "Loki, slow down. What's wrong?"

"Scott's in trouble," she whispered, urgently. Loki's heart was hammering, and she could hear Melissa's pulse pick up as well at the werewolf's words. The nurse dropped her arms, nodding, and both of them raced towards the elevator door. Loki slammed her finger down on the button, pressing it over and over again, silently begging the elevator to come faster.

As she did so, someone else grabbed her shoulder. Loki knew without turning around that it was Malia. When the dark-skinned girl turned to face her, Malia's eyes were wide.

"I hear it too," she said. As the words left her mouth, the elevator dinged, and all three women rushed in. Loki slammed the button for level two down, and the pressed the close door button.

When the doors opened again, Malia stepped forward. A growl rumbled in her chest as she observed one of the Dread Doctor's holding Scott up against the wall. The Alpha was wheezing, his breath catching in his chest every time he tried to inhale.

At the sight of the two new threats, the Doctor holding Scott tossed him to the side. Loki heard his breath hiss as he hit the ground, and anger filled her. She and Malia roared in tandem, and then rushed forward on an unspoken signal. Melissa followed them, grabbing her son and dragging him to his feet and back towards the relative safety of the elevator car.

Malia jump-kicked the Dread Doctor in the chest, and Loki crouched down, swinging one leg out and knocking the Doctor's feet out from underneath him. Shooting to her feet, Loki lifted her fists, but before she could throw another punch, she gasped, and her arms fell to her side. She stumbled backwards, expressing slackening as her mind shot a million miles away.

"Loki!" Malia shouted as the Pathologist stepped forward, easily swiping her friend to the ground. Loki crumpled to the floor, eyes wide and unseeing as she became lost in a flashback.

Growling, Malia stepped in front of her friend's prone body, taking another high roundhouse kick at the Doctor and then swiping him across the chest. Scott pushed himself up from the ground enough to watch his friends fight. His eyes widened when he saw Loki curled on the ground, and his breath wheezed again as panic for her coursed through him. Emotional distress _really_ did not help an asthma attack.

Scott's attention flickered to his mother, who was crouched next to him. His eyes widened when he saw the needle in his hand.

"Wait a minute!" he gasped. "What is that?"

"A bronchodilator," she told him. "Trust me, it will work." At that, she stabbed it into his leg, pressing down to inject the medicine. Scott winced, eyes widening with pain. Melissa turned her head to look at the girl still fighting and the one on the ground. "Malia, come on!" She shouted from the elevator. "Run!" The Doctor took the were-coyote's moment of distraction and wrapped a hand around her throat. Malia gasped, eyes going wide as the air whooshed out of her lungs.

Chopping her elbow down on the Doctor's wrist, Malia was able to stumble free. Pausing only to grab Loki's arm and pull the girl's limp body over her shoulders, Malia broke out into a run for the elevator car. The Pathologist started after her, but his walk was clunky and slow due to the armor he wore.

As Malia crossed the threshold of the car, Melissa pressed down on the close door button. The teenager's back slammed against the wall, and Loki's body slumped to the side. The Pathologist reached out, and the silver doors slid shut just as his hand started to cross the entryway.

The lights in the elevator flickered as it started to move upwards, and Scott gasped. He glanced from his mother's pale and shocked face to Malia's tense posture to Loki who was curled limply on the ground, eyelids trembling.

"We never should have read that book."

* * *

* _DREAD DOCTOR FLASHBACK*_

Loki opened her eyes slowly, and panic coursed through her body. What the hell was she doing at Eichen House? Loki turned around, trying to make sense of her surroundings. She was in the parking lot…the old parking lot. Before it had been remodeled.

"What the hell?" Loki muttered to herself. Her words sounded weird, echoing in her own head when she spoke.

Loki's eyes fell on a car to her right. It was pulling into a parking space and – wait. She knew that car. Heart rate quickening, she jogged over and watched, eyes wide as Kali stepped out of the driver's seat. Ennis was already out of the car, and opening the backdoor for Deucalion.

Loki blinked rapidly, watching as the three Augmented Alphas walked towards the building. After a moment of shell-shocked confusion, Loki followed them, slowly realizing what was happening. This was a flashback, it must be.

By the time she reached the inside of Eichen, Deucalion was standing at the front desk. Kali and Ennis stood behind him silently. Deucalion was the mastermind; they were the bodyguards.

"Hello," Deucalion greeted the receptionist at the desk. He smiled at her pleasantly enough. "I'm here to visit a patient."

"Sign in for me, please," she told him, pointing towards the pen. Deucalion cleared his throat, and tapped his cane pointedly. Her cheeks flushed as she realized her mistake. "I'm – I'm so sorry," she stammered. "If one of your companions could – "

"No, that won't be necessary." Deucalion smiled coldly, and Kali stepped forward. Her eyes flashed red and she parted her lips just enough so that the receptionist could see Kali's fangs. "We're here to visit the werewolf known as Loki, you understand?" He said, his voice still conversationally light. The receptionist's eyes narrowed, and her demeanor did a one-eighty.

"I'm afraid Miss Elizabeth Carter is not allowed the privilege of visitors," she said haughtily, straightening her shoulders. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"That won't be necessary," Deucalion responded. He turned, as if to resign without a fight, but Loki knew that that wasn't what was happening. The minute Deucalion turned around, his fingers plucked at the end of his cane, revealing the sharp blade he kept concealed there.

Whirling around in one swift motion, the sharp blade whistled through the air. The receptionist didn't even have time to gasp before she slumped over, the blood from her throat pooling onto the keyboard and desk in front of her. Her death was so quiet that no one came running - no one even glanced over. No one would realize for almost twenty minutes, and that was more time than the three Alphas needed.

Pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket, Deucalion wiped blood from the sharp tip of his cane. "Now," he said, replacing the cover and sweeping the cane across the ground. "Shall we?"

Loki followed the Augmented Alphas down the hallway. Any opposition they met was taken out cleanly and quickly by either Kali or Ennis, and before long they arrived at an all-too-familiar cell.

Loki looked through the window of the lockup, and suddenly, she was in it. One minute she was looking in at herself hanging from the manacles, and the next, there she was. Loki lifted her head instinctively, watching Ennis twist the knob off the cell. The three Alphas stepped into the small space observing the young girl in front of them.

"Loki," Deucalion greeted her. "That is what you like to be called, is it not?" There was no response, and the young teen closed her eyes. Ignoring her lack of answer, Deucalion continued. "Well, well. I've heard a lot about you." He surveyed Loki with a power-hungry look, one that Loki had been too young and too scared to notice at the time. But she noticed it now. "Someone with power like you shouldn't be locked up here," he told her, his voice soft. "Someone this _young_ shouldn't be locked up here." He rested a hand against one of her chains and _yanked_ , hard.

The chain snapped, and Loki's breath hissed as her entire body weight fell on the other two manacles, causing dull pain to radiate through her arms. Without hesitation, Deucalion snapped the next two chains, and suddenly Loki was on the ground, able to move her arms for the first time in months. She blinked in surprise, stretching her arms out in front of her in wonder.

Deucalion knelt down next to her. "Is that better?" He asked, and she nodded, smiling for the first time in years at her savior. Her breath hitched as an alarm outside started to blare, and shouts and footsteps filled the hallway outside, but Deucalion didn't even flinch. "Kali, Ennis. Take care of that." Loki watched as the other two werewolves left immediately, and listened as the terrified screams and menacing growls filled the hallway instead.

"Loki," Deucalion said, reclaiming her attention. "You've been on your own a long time, haven't you?" Loki nodded slowly, lowering her head. "An Alpha that's an Omega," he mused. Loki's muscles tightened, having heard the jibe way too many times before. But there was no malice in his tone, only clinical observation. "Would you like a pack, Loki? A…special pack," he continued. "An Alpha Pack." He fell silent, and after a few minutes Loki realized that he was waiting for a response. It had been too long since she'd had a conversation with someone.

"I – " She coughed, her voice rusty from lack of use. "I don't want to be alone anymore," she managed thickly. Deucalion nodded, smiling at her gently.

"What would you do for me," he asked, carefully. "If I got you out of here? If I made sure you wouldn't have to be alone ever again?" Loki's mind turned over and she watched as Kali and Ennis stepped back into the room. She saw the blood gripping from their claws, and her stomach turned over. She'd promised herself she'd never kill, ever again.

But she was stupid and young and scared enough to convince herself that that wasn't why Deucalion wanted her. That it wasn't for her power, but because he thought she deserved better. That he didn't want her as an asset, he wanted her as a packmate. The pause was heavy in the room, and Loki's quiet, young voice broke the silence when she answered Deucalion's question.

"Anything."

* _END*_

* * *

 **i'm trash this is trash.**

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	20. Strange FrequenciesOuroboros

**Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf**

* * *

Loki hung in her cell at Eichen, eyes heavy. Her wolfsbane-induced flashback had been so intense that she'd truly believed that Duecalion had been breaking her out again. But she had no idea where he was.

And she was alone. No one was coming for her. Not even…

Loki curled her hands into fists and closed her eyes, pretty much the only motion she could manage without pain and closed her eyes. She knew why she was here. She knew what she had done to deserve this. She knew that she'd brought this on herself.

A broken promise…

The door to her cell buzzed, signaling the entry of a nurse for Loki's daily 'treatment,' but the werewolf barely flinched. The now-familiar electricity coursed through her veins, and her body thrashed helplessly against her shackles.

* * *

* _FLASHBACK*_

Soft fingers brushed against Loki's temple, and she squeezed her eyes shut, futilely chasing the last blissful moments of something resembling rest.

"Loki?" a familiar voice whispered next to her ear. He sounded concerned. "Are you okay?" Realizing not only that sleeping was out of the question, but also that the surface she was laying on was hard and unyielding, Loki finally opened her eyes. Scott was bending over her, eyebrows pressed together and his lips parted in a tiny 'o' of concern.

"'M fine," she mumbled blearily. She put her hand up, groping for some kind of handhold, and to her surprise felt a bar. Wrapping a hand around the metal handle, Loki pulled herself to her feet, only stumbling slightly. Scott held a hand out hesitantly, as though he was afraid of her falling. She shook him off. "I'm fine," she repeated. "At least I got some sleep," she muttered, trying to make light of the situation. She shut up quickly when she saw the affect her words had on Scott based off his expression.

Loki looked around, trying to gather her bearings. She realized quickly how little time had elapsed since she'd passed out. They were still in the elevator, and Melissa and Malia were hovering nearby.

"What was it?" the werecoyote asked her. Loki blinked, her mind still moving much slower than normal. It took her a second to comprehend her friend's question, and then another to realize it was directed at herself.

"Oh," she replied finally. "Um. Nothing – about the Dread Doctors." She spoke haltingly, her normally sharp tongue slow and muddled from exhaustion. Scott eyed her, his expression guarded.

Loki wiped her eyes, rubbing away the last remnants of her memory. She shook her head, making her loose curls bounce around her face. Loki took a deep breath, and then squared her shoulders.

"I'm fine," she said, answering the unasked question she could practically taste in the air. "Seriously."

* * *

Loki stood with Scott at the animal clinic. Theo and Stiles stood across the examination table, facing the two werewolves. And _on_ the examination table…

Stiles flipped back the sheet covering the body. As the human stepped back, wringing his hands nervously, Loki heard Scott's heartbeat spike. Theo did too.

"Did you know him?" Theo asked, noticing the Alpha's reaction. Scott nodded slowly, eyes dark with sadness.

"His name's Josh," Scott replied lowly. He sighed. "He was a junior." Scott's eyes were trained on the body, but Loki glanced up just in time to see Stiles shoot Theo a look. Loki frowned, but she refrained from saying anything. She was certain that if Stiles knew something he would tell Scott without her interference.

Loki leaned forward and flipped the sheet back over the body. She covered the kid gently, even though she knew he couldn't feel anything. Scott was pacing the room, his scent sharp with agitation.

"Which one did it?" he asked finally. "The one with the cane?" Stiles looked at Theo again, and Theo's eyebrows pinched, like he was trying to remember. Then he nodded.

"Yeah."

"What are we going to do with him?" Stiles asked, looking back at the covered body. "We can't just set the alarm and leave, that's how Tracy disappeared."

"Someone's got to stay here with him," Loki agreed. "I'll do it." If her theory was right, if Jordan was really the one taking the bodies, she wanted to be the one who faced him. She didn't want him hurting anyone, or him to get hurt.

"Actually, Loki," Scott said, eyes trained on his phone. "I think I need you with me."

"What is it?" Stiles asked his friend, apprehension edging his voice.

"It's another Chimera," he replied. Scott looked up at Loki, and then at Stiles. "I think I'll need your help."

"I can stay, then," Theo offered. The others looked at him, and he shrugged easily. "It's not like I had a big Saturday night planned." Loki hesitated, glancing from Theo to Scott to the body.

"I – " she began, looking helplessly at the body next to her. She struggled to think of a good excuse to stay without incriminating her boyfriend, but really, what could she say? Loki sighed and nodded, acquiescing. "Alright."

* * *

Liam knocked on the door to the bathroom in Scott's room. There was no response from the girl inside.

"Hayden?" he called fruitlessly. He pressed his ear against the door, but the girl in the room still didn't answer. The only indication of the presence of the girl inside was Liam's word and the pounding heartbeat sounding from inside the room. Hayden was clearly terrified.

Liam glanced helplessly at Loki and Scott, and Scott nodded. He motioned to Loki, and the two seniors stepped forward.

"Hayden," Loki said, just loud enough for the girl on the other side of the door to hear her. "Hayden, will you open the door?" She waited a beat, and then continued, her voice still soft with comfort and concern. "We want to help."

"I know that you're scared," Scott added, stepping up next to Loki. "But please come out." After another moment of silence, Scott stepped away, turning towards his friends. "I can hear her heart beating," Scott said quietly. "She's really freaked out. What happened?" The last part was directed towards his Beta.

"She was okay when we got here," Liam protested, holding up his hands. "I left to text you for two seconds, and she locked herself in."

"Why?" Stiles whispered.

"I don't know!"

"She's definitely a chimera?" Loki asked the younger teen. Liam nodded.

"She said she heard a voice saying 'your condition improves.'" He looked at Loki pointedly, and she nodded, rubbing the back of her neck. Definitely a chimera.

"Okay, that's unsettling," Stiles muttered, stepping forward. He knocked on the door. "Hayden? This is Stiles. Your sister works with my dad down at the station? Look, just open the door, okay?"

"You can trust us," Loki added, her voice still slow and syrupy with persuasion. "We just need to tell you the truth," she continued. "And that kind of thing is usually better face to face." There was still nothing but shallow breathing and a pounding heartbeat from behind the door.

"Listen," Scott said to Hayden. "Either you're gonna have to open the door, or I'm gonna have to break it open. It's okay if you're not ready to talk, or if you're not ready to believe us, I just - " Scott paused. "I gotta know that you're okay in there." After another tense moment of silence, Scott stepped back, probably to give himself space to kick the knob off. Before he could do so, the lock clicked, and the doorknob turned. The door creaked open, but Hayden stayed concealed behind it.

Loki stepped forward, gently pushing the door open all the way. "Hayden?" she asked, gently as possible.

The girl was standing with her head down, staring at her hands like she had never seen them before.

It was easy to tell why, because sprouting from her fingernails were the claws of a werewolf. Her eyes were glowing gold, and when she parted her lips to talk, fangs curled around her lips.

"I believe you," Hayden whispered, her voice shaking with terror.

* * *

The door to Jordan's apartment swung open, and Loki smiled at her boyfriend's playfully disgruntled look. "Hey," she said, stepping in and placing a hand on Jordan's chest. He reluctantly smiled back, covering her hand with his and closing the door with his foot.

"Hi," he murmured, leaning down to kiss her quickly. He pulled back and scowled and her again in mock annoyance. "No. No. I'm mad. You're definitely going to get me fired." Loki laughed, following him to the study.

On the desk were the cell phone jammers he'd taken from the Sherriff's station upon Loki's request. She walked over and picked one up in, humming in satisfaction as she examined it.

"Have I mentioned I love you?" She asked rhetorically, turning the jammer over. "Besides, the Sherriff won't fire you. He'll understand what it's for." Jordan flopped down in his chair, raising his eyebrows at her.

"And yet I don't understand. Care to explain for the non-genius in the room?" Loki smirked, leaning against the desk so she could face him.

"When the others went to Eichen House, an inmate there told them something. A quote from Nikola Tesla: 'If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.'" Loki looked at Jordan. "Lydia thinks it's some kind of clue, and that the jammers might disrupt the frequency of the Dread Doctors."

Jordan nodded his head slowly, understanding. He grinned.

"Okay," he said. "I like it." Loki beamed back at him.

"Good. I'm going to help you set them up, and then I'm going to drop them off at school. Lydia will show Malia and Scott what to – "

"Hang on a minute," Jordan said, cutting her off. He smirked playfully at her. "Am I not invited?" Loki laughed, and her shoulders relaxed from a tension that she didn't know was there.

"Well, I didn't want to _assume_ anything," she responded. "You can go if you want." She hesitated, like she was debating if she should continue. " _I_ won't be there." Jordan's eyebrows shot up, and he studied Loki again.

"Everything okay?" He checked. Loki shot him a swift grin, and kissed up quickly.

"Absolutely."

* * *

A familiar engine hum made Stiles turn his head, and he raised an eyebrow when he saw Loki turning her bike into the animal clinic parking lot. She took her helmet off, ruffling her hair out, and then walked over towards the Jeep.

"You gonna let me in?" she asked, motioning to the empty back seat. Stiles swallowed hard, glancing at Theo out of the corner of his eye. He wanted – he _needed_ – to talk to Theo about some things, but he wasn't sure if he could with Loki there. But it wasn't like he could refuse.

Loki climbed into the backseat with way too much elegance, and situated herself carefully. She eyed the tiny screen attached to the rearview mirror.

"Anything yet?" she asked.

"Yes," Stile said sarcastically. "And yet, the body is _still_ there." Loki rolled her eyes.

"Okay, okay."

"Why are you here, anyways?" Stiles asked, perhaps a little too sharply. "Shouldn't you be with the others? I think they could use more help than the Theo and me. It doesn't take three people to watch a body." Loki raised her eyebrows, looking a little nonplussed.

"I'm… _ruling_ out a theory," she replied coolly.

"Anything you want to share?" Theo looked at Loki through the mirror, and she grinned secretively.

"Not particularly," she replied. "I don't like being wrong." She narrowed her eyes at Stiles, and continued. "And I think the real question is, Stiles, not why I _am_ here, but why you don't _want_ me here." She lifted her chin, and the question hung in the air.

Stiles looked down at his lap, and barely noticed when his lips started to move, when he started to talk.

He told her. He told her everything.

* * *

"Let me get this straight," Loki said. She steepled her fingers underneath her chin. She'd been remarkably quiet when Stiles was talking, and was finally opening her mouth. "Donovan tried to kill Stiles. Stiles killed Donovan. Theo saw Stiles kill Donovan. Josh tried to kill Stiles. Theo killed Josh. Stiles saw Theo kill Josh. And now you're both keeping this a secret from Scott." Loki looked up, eyes unreadable. "Did I miss anything?"

"No, that about sums it up," Stiles muttered. Loki didn't say anything. She was thinking, her eyes narrowed in consideration.

"You know, I saw his teeth," Theo commented, breaking the silence of the Jeep. Loki and Stiles both looked at Theo, waiting for him to explain. "Donovan's," he continued, when he noticed their confusion. "He was a, uh…wendigo. Wasn't he?" Stiles nodded once, and Loki raised her eyebrows. She hadn't known this.

"Yeah." Stiles's voice was barely over a whisper.

"It's the cannibal one," Theo said uncertainly, searching for more information.

"Native American," Loki supplied, breaking her silence. Stiles looked at her, eyes pressed with concern. He clearly regretted telling her, he clearly thought she was going to tell Scott. Loki wasn't sure if she was or not yet. "They believed if you ate human flesh, your punishment was to turn into a creature that constantly craves it." Theo grimaced.

"That's…a pretty judgmental myth." Loki shrugged flippantly.

"I've always thought it sounds like more of a punishment for everyone else," she agreed. Stiles scoffed, shaking his head and looking out the window. Loki grinned.

"What if it was the only way to survive?" Theo argued. "You ever hear of the Donner Party? I'm sure they didn't turn into wendigos."

"Well, they didn't live in Beacon Hills," Stiles replied. Theo nodded, looking away.

"Good point."

"My punishment for killing a pack of wolves is being where I am," Loki mused to herself. She doubted either Stiles or Theo knew what she meant. She'd had a pretty screwed-up life ever since she'd become a murderer, and she had no doubt that that was why. "What's the punishment for killing a chimera?"

"My punishment is also where I am," Stiles quipped. "Stuck in a car with Theo Raeken and Loki Carter for five hours." The other two occupants of the car snorted, and Stiles continued, his voice lowering with true sadness. "Look, I know what my punishment is." He looked down at the steering wheel, his eyes unfathomable. "I'm going to lose my best friend," he said quietly. "I'm going to lose Scott."

* * *

Jordan stared resolutely through the windshield of his car, fighting exhaustion.

He blinked a few times, trying to clear his eyes and mind so he could focus on the matter at hand. As his eyes drooped again, he shook his head, and his gaze listed downwards.

A playing card was lying face down on the floor of the car. Frowning, Jordan leaned over and picked it up. He flipped it over, rubbing his finger over the glossy surface of the card. It was the Queen of Diamonds, the one with the resemblance to Loki.

Someone touched his arm.

Jordan turned his head to the passengers seat and recoiled in surprise when he saw Loki there. Her face was glowing in the moonlight, her eyes shining brightly. She reached a hand out hesitantly, placing it on his forearm. She squeezed him comfortingly, and he shivered under her touch.

She moved up slowly, and she placed a hand on each side of his face. Eyes glowing, she leaned forward, and Jordan met her in the middle. As they kissed, Loki grabbed onto the hem of shirt, pushing him back just enough so she could peel it off of him. In response, Jordan ripped at her shirt, and a tearing sound filled the air.

When Loki ignored this and continued kissing him, a distant bell rang in the back of his hand. Loki was feistier than this – she should have at least made a passing comment about that action. As quickly as this fleeting thought entered his mind, it was leaving it. It was hard to focus.

Loki dragged her fingers down his bare chest, and a sizzling sound filled the air. Soot and embers trailed on Jordan's skin everywhere Loki's hands touched.

Jordan raised a hand to Loki's face, kissing her gently. As he did so, he frowned. Something didn't feel right – Loki's skin wasn't the smooth silkiness he was used to, it was rough and blistered underneath his fingers.

Pulling back slowly, Jordan opened his eyes to see his girlfriend clearly and his eyes widened with shock and horror.

Her entire body was covered with bloody burns. Her face was so swollen and blistered that he could barely recognize her. The only indication of Loki underneath the grievous injuries was those ever-present shining eyes. But even those weren't right. They were distant and cold, shimmering with a hint of malice that Jordan had never seen before.

Fear coursed through Jordan and he shook his head as she leaned in again to kiss him.

* * *

"Look, Stiles," Theo said, breaking the silence. "If Scott really gave up on you for some piece of crap like Donovan, then he wouldn't be much of a True Alpha, would he?" Stiles looked at Theo, frowning like he was unconvinced.

"Maybe that's the definition of a True Alpha," he argued. "Someone who doesn't put up with murder?"

"Stiles, come on," Loki said. Stiles shook his head, and Loki leaned forward, insistent. "No, really. My hands aren't exactly clean, and I haven't lost Scott."

"Scott knew what kind of person you were from the beginning," Stiles replied despondently. "Besides, Scott's not trying to fuck me."

"Well, you never know," Loki mumbled, in a last ditch attempt to lighten the mood. It worked, a little, and the edge of Stiles's mouth quirked up briefly. "Besides, we're not exactly fucking anymore." Stile shrugged, clearly refusing to be reasoned with.

"It sounds like all of you need to look up 'justifiable homicide,'" Theo muttered. Stiles raised his eyebrows incredulously.

"Did you seriously just say that to the son of a cop?" he asked the other teenager. Theo shrugged.

"A werewolf's eyes are supposed to change color when you take an innocent life," Theo argued. His eyes glowed, revealing the bright gold color of a Beta. "These look blue to you?" Stiles's breath caught, and he blinked a few times. "It was self-defense," Theo said, looking out the window. "For me, and for you."

"Maybe you just don't feel that bad about it," Loki said to Theo. He turned to her, offense written clearly across her face. His expression dropped when he saw her eyes, glowing the cold blue of a Beta werewolf who'd killed. "You can't objectively say that one life is more innocent than another," she continued, allowing the color to fade. "What if they turn blue because you feel guilty?"

"What, you think it's up to interpretation?" Theo asked. _Not really,_ Loki thought. She was angling here, trying to see what made Theo tick.

"Yeah, maybe she's right," Stiles murmured. _Oops,_ Loki thought. She hadn't meant to make _Stiles_ feel more guilty.

"Okay, fine." Theo threw his hands in the air indignantly. "Then here's my interpretation of what happened with you and Donovan." Theo leaned forward, forcing Stiles to meet his eyes. "Not. _Guilty._ " He glanced at Loki over the seat, and when his lips parted, she held up a hand.

"Thank you, presiding juror. I've done fine with my own verdict." Theo laughed. The car was quiet for a second, and then Theo spoke again.

"Did you feel bad about it?" Theo asked. "Not now," he clarified, seeing Stiles's look. "I mean, right then. Right when it happened. What were you thinking the moment you knew he was dead and there was no saving him?"

Loki thought back to her own experiences with fighting, with murder. She remembered being a little girl, angry and afraid, and she remembered bringing her claws down on her first victim. So she wasn't surprised by Stiles's answer.

"One word: good."

* * *

Theo inhaled deeply, sniffing. He took another deep breath, and Loki looked up from the backseat. She did the same, and immediately smelled what he was smelling. She wrinkled her nose in confusion, looking out the window to see where it was coming from. Her body stiffened with dread when she saw the figure stalking towards them.

"What is it?" Stiles asked.

"A scent," Theo replied. He sniffed again. "Like smoke…or – "

"Something burning," Loki muttered stiffly. Stiles faltered at her tone, glancing at her in the mirror.

"Loki? You o – " before he could finish the question, a flaming fist broke through the window and slammed into Theo's face. Stiles recoiled against the sudden heat, and watched, wide-eyed as the burning person dragged Theo's unconscious body from the car.

Loki kicked the back door of the Jeep open, flipping out quickly. Before she could do anything else, the figure next to her knelt down to wrap one hand around the fender of the Jeep.

He lifted the car up easily, and threw it forward.

"Stiles!" Loki yelled as the sound of glass shattering and metal cracking filled her ears. She coughed as smoke and soot filled her lungs, flames roaring around her and the Jeep as the person walked past.

Loki dragged Stiles away from the wreck, checking quickly to make sure he was breathing and that there were no major injuries. As she did so, footsteps crunched on gravel next to her ear.

Loki turned her head. Jordan was walking past her, face blank, and with the body slung over his shoulder. As he continued to walk farther away, little sparks caught around his clothes until he burst into flames entirely, like an inferno.

* * *

Jordan was leaning against the wall of his shower, his mind far, far away. The steaming water poured over his shoulders, washing away the soot that clung to his skin, but he barely felt it. As the ash ran off his skin and down the drain, the memory of why it was there was wiped clean as well.

A distant ringing sounded in the back of Jordan's brain, and he slowly picked his head up. He blinked a few times, and reached out blindly to shut the water off.

Padding into his room with a towel wrapped around his waist, Jordan looked around for his phone. He couldn't remember where he'd put it.

"Right here," a voice said, and Jordan jumped. He whirled around. Loki was sitting on the chair in the corner of the room, her shoulders slumped. Instead of smiling mischievously at his reaction, she held the phone out to him, her lips flat.

"Jesus, Loki," Jordan said, reaching out to take the phone. "How did you get in here?"

"You left your door unlocked," she replied. She nodded towards the phone in Jordan's hand. "You should get that." He nodded, looking down at the caller ID. His brow furrowed – it was Deputy Clark.

"Hello?" He asked, confused.

" _Where the hell are you?"_ She snapped as soon as he'd answered the phone.

"Home," Jordan replied. "It's four in the morning."

" _Stilinski's calling everyone in,"_ Clark responded. " _There's another body."_ Jordan's body tensed. He looked toward Loki. She hadn't moved from her seat, but he knew that she was listening to the conversation.

"You mean another murder."

* * *

On his way to the station, Jordan dropped Loki off at the animal clinic so she could fetch her bike. She had told Jordan that she was going to go home to sleep, but in reality she had no idea what she was going to do, or where she was going to go.

Loki folded her arms on the handlebars of the bike, and rested her chin there. She sat motionless in the parking lot as the sun rose above her, mind whirling.

She should tell Scott about what Jordan was doing. Really, she should tell _Jordan_ about what Jordan was doing. Loki rubbed her eyes, remembering when she'd promised Scott she'd never lie to him again. That promise was getting complicated really fast.

Technically, she hadn't lied to him yet. But she wasn't being forthcoming about the truth either. Loki closed her eyes, her shoulders slumping with defeat. She considered calling the twins, but before she could do so, her phone rang.

Sighing, Loki lifted the device to her ear. She closed her eyes against the bright sunlight. "Yeah?"

" _Get to Scott's house,"_ Lydia's voice was clipped, urgent. " _Now."_

* * *

The animal clinic was close enough that at the illegal speed Loki was partial to, she reached Scott's house in less than three minutes. Loki pulled into Scott's driveway and jumped off her bike. She slammed his door open and ran up the stairs. When she burst into Scott's room, she immediately saw the source of Lydia's panic.

Scott was standing over Corey, the boy who Loki had helped earlier that week. The Alpha's claws had pierced the back of his neck - he was sifting through Corey's memories.

"Scott…" Loki's breath hissed out in disapproval. Even though she knew he couldn't hear her, it made her feel better.

"What is he doing?" Theo asked from behind Loki.

"Tapping into Corey's memories," Lydia responded.

"It's usually something only Alphas can do," Loki added. "With a couple exceptions." She stepped closer to Scott, careful not to touch him or Corey. Theo stepped forward, clearly intrigued. Loki's hand shot out, pushing Theo back carefully.

"Is it as dangerous as it looks?" Theo asked, allowing Loki to move him without complaint.

"Probably more," Stiles responded. Mason was staring at Scott and Corey with a kind of confused, slightly frightened awe on his face.

"Does anyone know if it's working?" he asked.

"It's working," Loki replied dryly. "They'd both be dead if it wasn't." Suddenly, Scott's eyes flew open and he jerked backwards. His hand fell to his side, and Corey's flew to his neck, touching the bloody marks Scott had left. Scott was gasping, and he stumbled backwards. Loki steadied him.

"Idiot," she hissed in his ear. "That could have killed you both."

"Is he okay?" Scott panted, either ignoring or not hearing Loki. The werewolf glanced up. Corey was near Scott's window, surrounded by Mason and Lydia. Both of them were trying to calm the clearly agitated teen down.

"What the hell did you do to me?" Corey snapped, hand clasped around his neck protectively.

"You'll be alright," Scott told him.

"There's blood," Corey protested, sounding frightened as he checked his hand.

"You'll heal," Scott muttered, digging through his desk drawers in search of a pen.

"Scott," Loki said, shocked at his blasé manner. Lydia's lips were pursed in disapproval.

"He'll be fine!" Scott snapped, making Loki step back in surprise. Scott was still catching his breath while he frantically sketched something on a pad of paper. "Listen," he gasped. "I think it worked. I saw something. There were tunnels, pipes on the walls – there were these two huge, blue pipes at the entrance, two on both sides." Stiles bent over his friend's shoulder to look, and Lydia came around to watch as well.

"I've seen that before," Stiles muttered to himself. "It's one of the tunnels I used to skateboard in. Remember, my dad caught me one time, told me to never go back?" Scott nodded.

"Where is it?" Loki asked Stiles.

"It's the water treatment plant," Lydia answered. Scott tapped the picture with his pen pointedly.

"That's where they are," he asserted. "That's where we'll find Liam and Hayden." There was a beat of silence, and then Scott nodded to himself. "Okay," he said. "Loki – "

"I need to stay here," Loki interrupted. Scott looked at her in surprise. "It's important," she said. "Please." Scott sighed, nodding.

"I need to do something first," Stiles added. "I need to talk to my dad, but I'll meet you there."

"Okay, fine." Scott swept out of the room, and down the stairs, talking as he went. "Then Malia and Mason are with me." Loki and Stiles exchanged a bewildered look before following the Alpha.

"Scott," Stiles called. "Scott, slow down. Just think for a second. Mason shouldn't be going – "

"Liam's my best friend," Mason argued, cutting off the other human immediately. There was no hesitation in the young teen's voice. "I'm going."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Stiles said. "Did you suddenly get super-wolf powers? I'm sorry, I wasn't aware of that development."

"Well, you and Loki are staying here," Scott reminded the human. "I could use the help." Stiles shook his head, rubbing his eyes.

"Okay, I'm _coming_ , just as soon as I talk to my dad. They're moving the body, he wants to make sure this time nobody steals it." _And I need to be here to make sure Jordan doesn't do anything_ , Loki thought to herself silently.

"How are they going to do that?" Malia asked Stiles. The human sighed.

"I don't know, but whoever took the last one was strong enough to flip my Jeep."

"I'm going with Stiles," Loki said aloud. "I think I got something on our corpse thief, but I need to confirm it first." That was a lie. She didn't have to confirm anything, she just needed - wanted - to buy Jordan more time.

Nothing about her demeanor showed the untruth, but on the inside, Loki's stomach curled. _I'm sorry, Scott._ Malia's eyes fell on Theo, and she pointed to him.

"We can take Theo," she suggested. The teenager started, and he looked at Malia, eyes wide. He was clearly surprised that she'd chosen him.

"Um…maybe I'd better stay here," Theo offered apologetically. "You know, in case the Doctors decide to make a house call for Corey." He glanced back at the teenager who was standing away from the group. Corey's eyes stretched wide with fear.

"Scott, Stiles is right." Lydia broke her silence. "You need to slow down and think."

"Okay, I am thinking," Scott replied insistently. "Liam and Hayden could already be dead."

"Scott, you could have hurt him!" Loki broke in. Scott's eyes fell on his ex, and he was surprised at the burning in her eyes. "You could have really hurt him. You could have hurt yourself." Loki shook her head. "If you _really_ thought that was the only way, you should have let me do it." Scott's shoulders slumped, and his eyes drooped. He shook his head.

"I have to find Liam," he whispered. That was the only apology he made, and he turned to leave his house. Mason and Malia followed him.

"Text me," Stiles told his girlfriend. "For anything."

"I got it," Malia insisted, waving her boyfriend off as she turned to leave.

"Anything at all, okay?" Stiles called after her. She didn't look back. The screen door slammed shut as the three teenagers left, and Loki exhaled a long breath.

* * *

Loki was walking with Stiles through the hospital when his phone rang. He glanced down at the screen eagerly and then sighed in disappointment, but answered it anyway. He listened to the person on the other end for a few minutes before speaking.

"You tell me, man, you're the mechanic. If the gas tank didn't rupture, and nothing electrical was broken, then how did the fire start?" He was quiet for a minute and then scoffed loudly. "Spontaneously combusted? That's your answer. Are you kidding – " Before Stiles could finish berating the mechanic, the Sherriff had stepped in front of his son. Stilinski pulled the phone down from Stiles's ear and raised his eyebrows.

"What are you two doing here?" the cop asked, sounding resigned. Stiles sighed, and Loki hung back, deciding to watch instead of talk.

"Dad, you gotta listen to me," Stiles began. "You got to leave the body, kay? Leave it, and let whoever wants to take it just take it, okay? Trust me." The Sherriff shook his head, and started to turn away.

"I'm doing my job, Stiles," he told his son. Stiles shook his head, and started after his dad.

"Yeah, you've been real busy," Stiles snapped at his father as he jogged to catch up. "Arresting people you _know_ are innocent."

"Go home," the Sherriff replied, refusing to rise to the challenge his son had offered. "Now." He glanced back. "You too, Loki." Instead of listening, both teenagers followed the police officer into the elevator. He turned to look at them, raising an eyebrow. "This is not up for debate."

"Well, then, Sherriff," Loki said, hitting the button. "We're not leaving." The doors closed, and Stilinski dropped his gaze. He was quiet for a minute, as if was remembering something, and then he addressed his son.

"You know, Clark mentioned something about, uh, key cards for the library." Loki noticed Stiles stiffen, and she remembered that he'd killed Donovan in the library. The teenager nodded slightly, motioning for his dad to continue. "Do you all have after-hours access?" the Sherriff asked. Stiles nodded.

"Yeah, yeah we do," he said. Loki heard his heartbeat picking up as he lied. "I'd show you mine, but I lost it a couple weeks ago." Loki blinked slowly, impressed. Sitles was careful. The elevator dinged, and the doors opened. The Sherriff stepped out with a sigh.

"Alright," he said. "I can't force you to leave, but I can and will insist that you wait here." He pointed to the waiting room. Stiles glanced at Loki, and then shrugged, sitting down in one of the chairs.

No sooner than Stiles and Loki had sat down that Loki realized how tired she was. And she didn't want to fall asleep. She stood up again.

"I'm going to get some coffee," she said. "Want one?" Stiles glanced up, looking distracted, and then nodded once.

"Yeah. Yeah, that'd be great." Loki walked down the hallway. It didn't take her long to find one of those machines that dispensed weak coffee and hot chocolate. She was willing to take it.

Loki walked back over to Stiles, pausing when she saw him. Stiles was holding the key-card in his hands, flipping it over. As she watched, he purposefully held it over the trashcan and released it. His eyes tracked its swift journey to the bottom of the bin, and he jumped when Loki called out to him.

He blinked looking up, and reached out to take the steaming cup of coffee she was offering him.

"Thanks."

* * *

Stiles looked at Loki. Despite the caffeine she's consumed less than an hour ago, she'd fallen asleep in the uncomfortable plastic chairs. Usually when people slept, they looked relaxed, but Loki somehow managed to look tense even as she dreamed.

All of the sudden, an alarm blared loudly, making Stiles swear. Loki jolted up, eyes wide with panic as the sound hit her ears. She tumbled out of the chair, hands pressed on either side of her head.

"Loki!" Stiles shouted over the sound. He realized the extra noise wasn't helping and quickly lowered his voice. "Loki, it's okay." He wrapped his hand over one of Loki's wrists and began to gently peel her hand from her ear. She allowed him to do so without resistance.

Loki stood up shakily. She winced, and pressed her fingers to her ears again. "Damn. Sorry," she apologized wearily. She opened her mouth again, probably to ask what was going on, but before she did so the sprinklers over their heads burst. Loki throw her hands up, more out of instinct than anything else.

Instead of water, however, thick, hot, steam poured out of the nozzles. Stiles coughed, waving a hand in front of his face to dispel the haze to no avail. He could barely see his own hand in front of his face.

"Stiles!" Loki shouted. She grabbed his arm, and he turned towards her, blinking rapidly. "Follow me." Stiles stumbled blindly after his friend. It took him a few moments to realize that she was taking him to the morgue.

Loki burst into the room, and began to run her finger over the different cabinets, searching for the correct name. Or more correctly, _lack_ of a name – Jane Doe.

As Loki searched for the correct cubby, and opened it to an un-startling lack of a body, Stiles noticed something on the ground. He picked it up, frowning. It was the nametag of one of the deputies.

Stiles turned it over, and rubbed his thumb over the engraving.

Parrish.

* * *

Someone knocked on the door to the penthouse, and Loki stood up from the table. She rubbed her eyes wearily, and walked over to the door. When she looked through the peephole, her eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Stiles," Loki greeted as she opened the door, motioning for him to come in. "What's up?" Stiles didn't answer, but instead flicked something towards her. Instinctively, Loki snatched it out of the air. Opening her palm, Loki realized what it was.

Jordan's badge.

Stiles watched as Loki registered what the object was, and what it and the presence of Stiles meant. She didn't look surprised. She sighed, bringing a hand over her face and wiping her eyes.

"How long have you known?" Stiles asked her quietly.

"I've only known since last night," Loki said. She glanced at the clock. It was nearly two in the morning. "Or, more correctly, the night before last." Stiles shook his head.

"Okay, let me rephrase that. How long have you _suspected_?"

"Since the first body went missing," Loki admitted. She glanced up, looking slightly chagrined. "Last spring, Jordan told me a dream he'd been having –"

"Okay, I don't need to hear about that – " Stiles began, and Loki shoved him backwards.

"Not _that_ kind of dream. Idiot." She shook her head, glaring at Stiles. "When I first tried to help Jordan figure out what he was, we went through a lot of the classic fire creatures – dragon, salamanders – " Stiles snorted at the latter, but Loki continued. "I even thought, maybe, phoenix – he could have been reborn from the ashes when Haigh tried to kill him – but none of it fit."

"I didn't think much of it then, the night before Lucas and Tracy's bodies were taken, I had had an argument with Scott," Loki continued. "I told him that humans couldn't know about the supernatural world, that we needed to protect it. And the next day, they were gone." Stiles shook his head. He didn't see the correlation.

"I don't follow."

Loki walked back over to the kitchen table. She picked up a leather-bound book and walked back over to Stiles. She handed him the book as she continued to talk.

"I didn't even think of this as a possibility until that night. But something was nagging me so I read up on it in this."

"What is it?" He asked, holding it carefully.

"Deucalion's version of the bestiary," Loki replied. "Or, as we liked to call it, his diary." She nodded at it. "Turn to the marked page," she ordered, crossing her arms and watching. Stiles did as he was instructed, and opened the book.

It was handwritten in faint pencil, and he had to squint to make out some of the words in the dim light. Someone – Loki, most likely – had underlined a section of the writing in black ink. Stiles read it aloud.

"'Interestingly, another job of the Hellhound is as a guardian to the supernatural. The spirit will go to great costs in order to keep our world separate from that of the humans.'" Stiles looked up at Loki and frowned. " _Hellhound?"_

"I'm not sure," Loki admitted. She shook her head and took the book back. "That part doesn't matter. What does matter is that I know where Jordan is taking the bodies." She ran her fingers over the spine of the book. "To the Nemeton."

* * *

Just before Stiles turned to leave, he looked back at Loki. When he spoke, his voice was lost, nearly helpless sounding. "Are you going to tell Scott?" He didn't have to clarify what he meant – his tone of voice was enough. Still, she couldn't resist the urge to rib him.

"About the unfortunate death pact situation you and Theo have going on?" Loki asked sarcastically. "I haven't yet, have I?" she asked rhetorically, flopping down on the couch.

"That's not what I asked," Stiles replied quietly. Loki was silent for a long moment.

"I once promised Scott I'd never lie to him again," Loki murmured, more to herself than to Stiles. "I meant it." Stiles nodded, his shoulders slumping. Loki looked at the defeated teenage boy, remembered his face when she'd watched him toss his key-card in the trash. She thought of Jordan, of the half-truths she'd already told her other friends to protect him, and of the flat out lies she'd have to tell Jordan himself now. "Well." Stiles's head snapped up.

"Well, what?" he demanded. Loki crossed her legs, and rested her chin in her palm, looking at Stiles tiredly.

"Old habits die hard."

* _END FLASHBACK*_

* * *

 **here i will shamelessly beg for a review. pretty please leave one? with sugar on top? it would be greatly greatly appreciated.**


	21. LiesofOmissionStatusAsthmaTheLastChimera

**To Guest: Thank you so much!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf**

 **Important A/N at the bottom!**

* * *

* _FLASHBACK*_

Loki was kneeling on the ground of the Beacon Hill Preserve, studying the ground intently. She bracketed her hand around a footprint on the ground, studying it carefully.

"Got anything?" Stiles called to her. Loki shook her head, standing up with a sigh. The print wasn't nearly big enough to be Jordan's foot, and it showed the bottom of a shoe, not bare feet like his would have been.

"No," she responded. She scowled, and passed a hand across her face as if to wipe the exhaustion from eyes. "Nothing." Stiles groaned, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked around the forest.

"It's almost like this thing doesn't want to be found," he muttered. "I mean, we've been looking for almost a week." Loki nodded in agreement.

"And you'd think I'd be able to smell a bunch of dead bodies, but no." It was as if the Nemeton knew that it was meant to be hidden, and for that reason it was not only hard to see, but hard to scent as well. She cast her eyes around the forest again, fruitlessly looking for the clearing.

"Maybe it knows we're late for class," Lydia quipped. She was standing slightly away from the other two teenagers, arms crossed over her chest. Loki looked at the other girl and Loki's face fell when she noticed something behind Lydia.

"And we've been here twice already," Loki muttered, stepping forward. She pointed to the two white 'X's' they'd drawn on the tree bark to mark the clearing. Stiles followed her gaze and groaned.

"Crap," he said, rubbing his temples. Lydia sighed heavily, clearly irritated.

"Can we talk to Parrish _now_?" she asked. Loki stiffened. Before she could respond, Stiles held up a hand and pointed towards Lydia, ignoring her question.

"Hang on," he insisted. "If the Nemeton's covered with bodies shouldn't you be able to find them?" Lydia frowned.

"Me?"

"Yeah, you," Stiles said. "That's what you do." He gesticulated wildly at Lydia as if random hand motions would prove his point. "You're the Banshee. You find the bodies." Lydia rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Well, the Banshee's having an off-day, so how about we talk to Parrish?"

"We _can't_ ," Stiles insisted. Lydia jutted her chin out, and shrugged.

"Why _not_?" She demanded to know. Stiles shifted uncomfortably, fiddling with his hands. He wrung them anxiously as he spoke.

"Because one of them…one of them could be…" Stiles hesitated, and Loki leaned forward. She knew exactly where he was going with this, but Lydia was evidently confused. The other girl had no idea about Donovan.

"Could be what?" Lydia asked, mystified. Stiles opened his mouth, but no answer came.

"Could be a clue," Loki finished for the other teenager. Lydia's attention turned from Stiles to Loki, and the boy shot the werewolf a grateful look. "And beyond that…" Loki trailed off briefly. "He's a _cop_. How the hell do you think he'll react to finding out he was _instrumental_ in hiding evidence?" Lydia shook her head, annoyed.

"He's also supernatural!" She pointed out. She waited for one of her friends to argue again, and when neither did, she smirked. "I'm leaving now. I'm going to find Parrish, and I'm going to tell him that he's the one taking the bodies." She turned to leave, and Loki grabbed her wrist.

"Lydia," Loki begged. "Please."

"It's always better when they know!" Lydia insisted.

"Well, then he should know that he owes me a Jeep," Stiles sighed. He was resigned. Loki looked from one friend to the other and finally dropped her hand, groaning.

"Fine," Loki acquiesced with a heavy sigh. " _I'll_ tell him. And I'll do it today. " She glared at her friends half-heartedly. "If either of you tell him before I do, I'll slit your throats."

* * *

Later that day, after school let out, Loki tracked Jordan down outside the Sherriff's Station. By the time she'd found him, she had not only resigned herself completely to telling him, but even been convinced (by Lydia) that it was the right thing to do. Even so, apprehension curled in her gut as she walked towards him.

Jordan grinned when he saw her. "Hey," he called, waving her over to him. He was sitting in his car, but he hadn't turned the engine on yet. She'd caught him at just the right time. "I just got off." Loki nodded, mustering up a smile back.

"Good," she said. "I need your help." She placed her hand on the door to his car and raised her eyebrows expectantly. He laughed. The lock clicked, and Loki climbed into the passenger's seat of the car.

"Where are we going?" Jordan asked, turning the key in the ignition. Loki leaned back against the seat, chewing on her lip thoughtfully. She considered how to broach the subject and decided to do it head-on.

Well, mostly head-on.

"The preserve," she responded. "I have to show you something." She hesitated, and then added reluctantly. "It's a giant tree stump called The Nemeton." She glanced over at Jordan and took a deep breath. "And it's important. Really important." Jordan frowned.

"Important to what?" he asked, as he drove down the path to the preserve.

"The ongoing investigation," she replied. Jordan glanced towards her, eyes wide.

"Seriously?" Loki nodded. "Which one?" Jordan asked. "Supernatural, or police?" Loki hesitated, and smiled sheepishly at Jordan.

"Uh, kind of…both?" Jordan shook his head in disbelief.

"If this place is so important, how come you didn't want to show it to me before?" He wasn't exactly accusing her, but he was definitely confused. Loki shrugged, considering again, and then decided to give the easiest response to that question out of the several she could think of.

"It's not easy to find," she offered, fixing her eyes back on the road. "It's not on any map…and a GPS is useless." Jordan shook his head again.

"Well, then how are we going to find it?" Jordan asked, as he turned the car right. Loki's eyes narrowed, and she glanced at Jordan. He didn't appear to have done it consciously. "Because I don't remember ever being near a giant tree stump."

"I think you're starting to remember," Loki murmured, mostly to herself. Jordan still overhead, and he frowned.

"Why's that?" Loki looked at him, and smiled.

"You just took a right turn." Jordan blinked, his eyes going wide before narrowing thoughtfully. He looked at Loki and she raised her eyebrows. "Keep driving," she ordered. "Don't think."

* * *

Malia was walking through the hallways. Her eyes were vacant and dark, and her face was slack. Another Chimera was dead. Right in the hallways of school – right in front of Malia. And she couldn't do – she _hadn't_ done – anything to save the girl.

Malia kept on hearing the girl, Beth, screaming. She kept on seeing the Dread Doctor twisting its hands, and Beth's neck giving way beneath the metal gloves. Beth's limp, dead body, flopping to the floor in a pool of silver mercury that poured from her throat.

Someone grabbed her wrists, and Malia dragged her eyes away from the floor and her mind flooded back to the present. Stiles was staring at her, his eyes round with concern as he took in her tearful expression.

"Malia? Hey, hey. What's wrong?" He asked. "What happened?" Malia looked at Stiles slowly. She shook her head, and the tears in her eyes threatened to spill onto her cheeks.

"I hate this," she whispered. She blinked rapidly, her throat burning as she spoke. "I hate losing like this. I'm not like Scott. I can't deal with another body." She paused. "Another failure." Stiles stared at her, mouth open. She pulled her wrists from his hands, and stalked away down the hallway. Stiles watched her go, his heart thudding. Then he realized something.

" _Shit!"_ Stiles said aloud. There was another dead body. Another dead Chimera. Which meant that Parrish was going to go after it...Stiles had theorized that Parrish was only dangerous when someone got his way.

And Loki was with him.

Heartpounding, Stiles jogged through the empty hallways of the school. He cursed when Loki's phone went straight to voicemail, and he hung up to try again. After his third try, he waited for the beep, and then began to talk rapidly into his phone.

"Loki, for the love of god," he said, leaving a voicemail for the werewolf. "Answer your goddamn phone. There's another dead Chimera," he muttered, dropping his voice as he looked around furtively. There was no one to overhear, thankfully.

"So right now is probably not the best time to be alone with Parrish," Stiles continued. "If he's coming to get the body, you can't get in his way." Stiles paused, and then added sternly, "Loki, do _not_ get in his way."

* * *

Loki and Jordan stood in a clearing in the forest.

"Anything look familiar?" Loki asked him, looking around for any sign of the Nemeton. There was nothing – no scent or sound – to give any hint as to that they were in the right place. Only Jordan's instincts could lead them.

"Nothing." Jordan sounded frustrated. "I'm trying, but it all looks like woods to me." Loki twisted a curl around her pointer finger, thinking.

"Maybe you're thinking too much," she murmured. "Maybe it's something you need to feel." Jordan shook his head.

"How do I do _that?"_ He stepped away from Loki, turning to look around again. Loki smirked, and then grabbed his jacket and pulled him back towards her. He grunted in surprise, and Loki pressed her lips to his.

"Stop thinking," she murmured, kissing him. He didn't respond vocally, but his hands trailed up the sides of her body, and he gripped her waist. Loki closed her eyes, and fisted her hands into his jacket.

Just as quickly as it had started, Jordan froze. When he did so, Loki pulled away, wiping her mouth and looking at Jordan curiously. His arms were still locked around her body, but his eyes were glowing orange and were focused on something above Loki's shoulder.

Slowly, Loki turned around. Her breath shuddered when she saw what Jordan was looking at. Just beyond the clearing they were standing in was another opening, sheltered by a group of trees.

And in the center of the grove was a large stump with bodies stacked around it. Jordan turned towards her slowly, his wide eyes returning to their normal color. Loki nodded slowly.

"What – what the hell is this?" he asked, his voice hoarse. Loki took a deep breath, and she told him.

She told him everything.

* * *

"I need to call this in," Jordan was saying, more to himself than to Loki. "No, I need to turn myself in."

"Jordan," Loki said, walking behind him. He ignored her, still mumbling under her breath, and she quickened her pace to catch up with him. "I don't think that's such a good idea," she told him quietly. Jordan stared at her, his eyes wild.

"You just told me I'm the one taking the bodies!" He cried. Loki could hear his heart pounding and his blood rushing through his veins. He was in shock. "I've attacked other law enforcement officers! That's a criminal offense!" He looked at her and shook his head, stepping backwards. "I shouldn't even be near you." Loki rolled her eyes.

"I can take care of myself," she reminded him, unimpressed. "And I can more than handle you." _I think_. "Anyways, I'm not afraid of you."

" _I'm_ afraid of me," Jordan replied. Loki sighed, and stopped. She grabbed Jordan's wrists and forced him to look at her.

"This only seems to happen when there's a body," Loki reminded him quietly. "Other than that…" she grinned. "You're still a pretty nice guy…a pretty good deputy." Jordan shook his head, refusing to be comforted.

"I'm a very good deputy," Jordan replied, agitated. He pulled away from her and continued walking. Loki caught up with him again. "And I'd like it to stay that way. Flipping over Jeeps and attacking colleagues doesn't exactly fit with 'protect and serve.' I'm covering up the bodies of murdered teenagers!" Loki shook her head.

"Jordan, listen to me!" He stopped and looked at her, surprised. She took a deep breath. "You're covering them up for a reason, okay?" Jordan stared at her. "You are protecting," she told him, taking his hand and squeezing it. "You're protecting me. _Us._ The supernatural world. Okay?" Jordan shook his head, unconvinced. "You are _not_ one of the bad guys," she told him. She had never been more certain of anything. But Jordan was quiet for only for a minute, and then he shook his head again.

"Loki, you just proved to me that my dream was real." Loki frowned.

"So?"

"So, you haven't _heard the rest of it_." Jordan closed his eyes. "Every time I bring a body to the Nemeton, I put it down and add to the rest of them." Loki's eyebrows creased.

"How many?" she asked quietly. Jordan opened his eyes, and they were tortured.

"Hundreds, Loki," he whispered back. "Hundreds of them."

* * *

Loki sat in the Sherriff's Station. Jordan had insisted that they return, and upon getting there, he'd locked himself in a holding cell with little to no explanation. The Sherriff, growing tired of trying to reason with his deputy, was walking over to Loki to question her.

"Hey," he greeted her. "What the hell does he think he's doing?" Loki looked up.

"Protecting us," she responded. She pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. "From himself." She watched the officer's face change, and he left the room abruptly. Loki settled back against the couch, closing her eyes, and let her hearing follow him.

"… _I get why you sat me at a desk for six months now,"_ Jordan was saying.

" _Parrish, we can't keep you in here,"_ Stilinski argued. Jordan paused, and for a moment, Loki thought he was acquiescing. She should have known better.

 _"There's another body, right?"_ He asked.

 _"Two, actually,"_ the Sherriff said slowly. He sounded confused, rightfully so. Loki hadn't explained that much, deciding that it was Jordan's place to tell the Sheriff. Besides, she hadn't wanted to tell the Sheriff. Loki heard Jordan take a deep breath and let it out. He was steeling himself.

 _"I'm the one taking them,"_ Jordan told his boss, resignedly. " _I – I don't know why, and I definitely_ don't _remember doing it. But if it really was me at the morgue, then I'm dangerous, okay? You can't let me out, Sherriff."_ There was a heavy pause. _"You_ can't _."_ Loki listened as the Sherriff's footsteps got closer and closer. They came to a stop, and Loki's eyes snapped open. Stilinski was standing over her, his eyes downcast.

"You were listening in?" He asked her heavily. Loki nodded slowly.

"I'm sorry," she told him quietly. "Maybe I should have told you before I told Jordan, but…" He shook his head, waving off her apology.

"Don't worry about it." He sighed. "I just – I don't know what to do." Loki nodded slowly. She stood up, wincing as her joints clicked and cracked in protest after sitting for so long.

"Alright if I go talk to him?" Loki asked. Stilinski nodded, waving a hand absent-mindedly as he sat down at his desk. "Thanks."

Loki walked into the back of the Sherriff's Station where the holding cell was. "Hey," she offered, walking towards the bars. Jordan was sitting on the bench, head down.

"Hey," he murmured back. Loki let out a gusty sigh and sat down on the ground. He watched her, his face drawn and sad. "Does it help?" he asked. "Knowing what you are?" Loki wrapped her arms around her legs and considered the question.

"I couldn't tell you, honestly," she murmured. Loki frowned, her eyes faraway. "My parents were human, but they knew, so _I_ always knew." Loki looked up and shook her head. "If I hadn't…I think I'd be scared." Loki shrugged. "Knowing anything is always less scary than uncertainty, I think." She considered something. "Do I scare you?"

"Not really," Jordan replied. Loki raised an eyebrow.

"Really," she said. "Too bad. I'll have to work on that." Jordan laughed. As he watched her, Loki lifted her hand to stifle a yawn, and Jordan noticed _again_ how tired she looked.

"Go home," Jordan told her softly. "You look exhausted. Get some rest." Loki scowled.

"And leave you here? No way." Jordan shook his head in exasperation.

"Loki, I'll be here when you get back. Go get some sleep." Loki smiled and nodded slowly.

But as she turned to walk away, she had a sinking feeling that, no matter what he thought, this cell wouldn't hold Jordan in.

* * *

Someone was rapping on the door to the penthouse. Loki groaned. She sat up, blinking owlishly and looking around. For once she'd fallen into a deep, dreamless sleep. She'd been unconscious just long enough to be disoriented as she woke up. The person knocked on the door again, and Loki dragged herself out of bed, shaking off the last dredges of sleep.

"Coming," she muttered, too quietly for the person to hear. She yanked the door open. Jordan was standing there, his eyes wide and frantic.

"Loki, Lydia's missing." Loki's eyes widened, and her jaw dropped, wakefulness shooting through her immediately.

"What?" she nearly yelled. She took a deep breath and made an effort to lower her voice. She didn't need a noise complaint. When her landlady remembered that Loki was there, she tended to bring up uncomfortable topics, like where her old pack was. "Since when? How do you know?" Jordan shook his head, agitated.

"I don't – I have no idea how I know. I just do. I just – I had like a vision or something, I can't explain it. I just – " Loki held up a hand, cutting off her boyfriend's rambling.

"I got it," Loki said. "Vision, feeling, yadda yadda yadda. Let's go." Loki followed Jordan out of her apartment and into the parking lot, where she climbed into the passenger's seat of the car. Once they were there, Loki turned to look at Jordan expectantly. To her surprise, he was giving her the exact same look.

"What?" she asked, surprised. Jordan stared at her, and shrugged.

"I don't know? I thought you told me you were a good tracker." Loki raised an eyebrow, and scoffed.

"I am an _amazing_ tracker," she replied haughtily. "But I am not a psychic. That's Lydia's job. Kind of. Or _yours_ , apparently." Loki's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Tell me about your vision. What was in it? Every detail, please."

Jordan frowned, like he was thinking.

"Well," he began. "Everything seemed real, at first. I was in the Sherriff's Station, at my desk. Lydia was there. She was talking to me – about something, I can't remember." Jordan frowned, glancing at Loki. "And then – I noticed that her finger was bleeding. The nail was broken and bloody. I looked down, and I realized that the floor of the station was covered with dirt and dead leaves, so I asked Lydia what was happening." He glanced at Loki.

"What did she say?" Loki asked, voice quiet.

"She said…" Jordan's voice shook. "She said, 'you're a harbinger of death, Deputy. You should know. Someone's dying.'" Jordan looked at Loki, his eyes tortured. She stared back at him, swallowing hard. She had been right…Jordan was a hellhound.

"Jordan, I need to tell you – " Loki broke off suddenly, realizing something. "Leaves." She murmured. Jordan stared at her.

"Leave? You want me to leave?" He asked. She shook her head.

"No, no. Leave _s_. You said there were dirt and leaves on the ground." Jordan nodded. "Okay," Loki said. "Okay. I know where to start." She turned towards Jordan. "Let's head back to the forest." Jordan nodded, and he started the car.

He was too wrapped up in worrying about finding Lydia to wonder what Loki had been going to tell him.

* * *

"What now?" Jordan asked, looking around the dark preserve. Loki looked around, her eyes glowing blue.

"I'm going to track her in wolf form," Loki responded. "If you find her just call out to me – I'll hear you."

"And if you find her?" Jordan asked anxiously.

"Don't worry – I'll find you," Loki said. Without another word, Loki shifted, and within seconds, the teenage girl had melted away and in her place was a small wolf. The animal tossed its head, like it was following a scent, and then loped off.

Jordan pulled his flashlight out, flicking it on. He called out Lydia's name, and set off in the other direction.

Loki tore through the woods, following Lydia's scent. Suddenly, randomly, it dropped off. Loki skidded to a stop, digging her claws into the ground and throwing leaves and clods of dirt up around her. She whined in confusion, shaking her head and trying to catch the scent again.

An icy breeze swept through the woods, making Loki's skin prickle underneath her thick pelt. She tried to remember if Lydia had been wearing warm clothes, but she couldn't recall. Loki needed to find her friend before she froze to death.

The breeze wafted a smell towards Loki's knows – the salty, iron scent of blood. _Lydia's_ blood. Loki threw her head back in a howl, and took off again.

It didn't take Loki long to find Lydia, and when she did, she shifted back to human form. Shivering in the cold air, Loki knelt next to her friend and touched her friend's neck gently. It was freezing cold, but Loki could feel the blood pumping underneath. She relaxed slightly.

Footsteps sounded behind Loki, making her lift her head. Jordan was running up to them.

"I heard you howl," he said, in a way of explanation. He shrugged off his jacket and held it out to Loki. After thinking for a moment, Loki took it. Instead of putting it on, however, she wrapped it around Lydia's shoulders.

"I'll change back and run to Scott's," she told Jordan. "Lydia's freezing – get her back to the car and meet me there. Scott will help us." Jordan nodded, and took Lydia by the wrist gently. He flinched when he touched her skin – it really was freezing.

But it was nothing compared to the icy sensation that rolled down his spine when Jordan looked up. On the face of a rock just behind Lydia's head was a rough sketch of a sheriff's badge – carved into the stone and edged with blood.

And Lydia's fingernail was torn and bleeding, just like his dream.

* * *

Loki stopped in front of Scott's house. The wolf glanced around to make sure no neighbors were watching before shifting back into human form. She slipped into Scott's house quickly. Her heart jumped when she saw him sprawled across the floor, the smell of blood hanging in the air ominously.

"Oh my god, Scott," she muttered, rushing forward. She knelt down next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Scott, wake up. _Scott!"_ His eyes opened slowly, and he blinked a few times. Loki let out a breath of relief when he opened his eyes. Scott appeared surprised to find himself lying on the ground.

"Loki?" He mumbled.

"Are you alright?" she asked, concern shadowing her green eyes. He nodded slowly, closing his own eyes. He swallowed, his Adam's apple rolling up and down with the motion.

"Yeah," he muttered. "Yeah, I'm fine." Loki scowled, clearly not convinced.

"You're bleeding!" She reached out to touch the stain on his white shirt, but he grabbed her hand and pulled it away. He closed his hand gently around her fingers.

"It's not that bad," he insisted. "Why are you here?" Loki nodded, seeming to remember she'd come for a reason.

"Oh, yes. Jordan's on his way with Lydia." Loki bit the inside of her cheek. "It's…it'll be easier to explain once she's here." Scott nodded, carefully getting to his feet. As if one cue, the sound of a car pulling into the driveway sounding.

Scott shook his head like he was clearing cobwebs from his brain and he looked at Loki again. Then he looked resolutely away, his face flushing.

"Um. You can borrow some clothes – in my room – if you want."

"Oh, yeah," Loki said, remembering her currant state. "Thanks." Without another word, she slipped up the stairs to Scott's house, and Jordan opened the front door. He was leading Lydia inside, and Scott immediately saw the problem.

The Banshee's eyes were wide and vacant, her expression slack. Her face was pale and clammy and her head was tilted slightly, like she wasn't strong enough to hold it up on her own. Scott's eyes widened.

"Did Loki make it?" Jordan asked, and Scott nodded.

"Yeah – she's just getting some clothes. What the hell happened?" He stepped forward, gently placing a hand on Lydia's shoulder. She didn't respond to the gentle pressure.

"We found her in the woods," Jordan began.

"She was freezing," Loki added as she walked into the living room, dressed in Scott's clothes. "Practically hypothermic." She took a deep breath. "Somehow that wasn't the worst part. She'd carved something into a rock with her fingernails."

"It was a badge," Jordan said. "A sheriff's badge." Scott's eyes widened as he took in this information and he shook his head slowly.

"No," he mumbled, sounding scared. He knew what the badge meant. "It's a warning." Loki nodded, her eyes shadowed.

"Something's wrong with the Sheriff."

* * *

Scott carried Lydia into the emergency room. The girl was still unresponsive. Scott yelled for help, getting the attention of the nurses and doctors milling about. They responded immediately.

"What happened?" a nurse asked, pulling a gurney up. Scott lowered Lydia onto it.

"Eighteen year old female," Loki told him. "Potentially hypothermic." Loki nodded at Scott. "Go," she whispered. Scott nodded gratefully and rushed towards the elevators. Jordan stepped up next to Loki, squeezing her upper arm as the doctors examined her friend.

"I called her mother," Loki said to Jordan as the doctors wheeled Lydia away. He nodded and kissed her forehead quickly.

"I have to go," he murmured. "Get back to the station. Call me if anything happens, okay?" Loki nodded. She watched Jordan walk away, and then suddenly, called after him.

"Jordan," she called, jogging back to him. "Wait. I need to tell you – I was going to tell you before, I should have told you ages ago – " a ringing cut off whatever Loki was going to say. Jordan stepped back, smiling apologetically and answered the phone. He listened to the person on the other end for a few moments.

"I'm on my way," he said, and then hung up. "Loki, I really have to go," he told her. "Whatever it is, it can wait." Loki watched him carefully and nodded. She took a deep breath.

"It can wait."

It would have to wait.

* * *

Loki stood outside the door to Lydia's room. Her mom was with her, and she was sitting next to Lydia's bed, stroking her daughter's forehead gently.

" _It's going to be alright, Lydia,_ " she was saying. " _We're going to get you the best medical care…the best doctors."_ Natalie Martin's voice cracked and she took a deep breath. " _The best_ everything _."_

The sound of footsteps made Loki lift her head. Stiles was suddenly standing next to her, peeking into the room. Loki grabbed his arm.

"I don't think we should intervene," she told him quietly. He ignored her, brushing off her arm and stepping into the room. She watched him take in Lydia's condition, his eyes wide with fear. As he stood there, Natalie Martin turned her head. Her face dropped, eyes icing over.

"No," she said coldly, standing up. "No, you don't. You're not coming in here. Get out!"

"Just wait," Stiles begged, stepping farther into the room. "I think I know who did this to her, okay, I just need to look at the back of her neck."  
"I know who did this!" Natalie Martin shouted shrilly. Tears were tracing down her face as she faced off against the teenage boy. "You!" she shoved Stiles, and Loki stiffened. "All of you!" Natalie continued to shriek. "Get out!"

"Come on, Ms. Martin, please," Stiles begged. "You just got to listen to me. You got to check the back of her – "

"Just – get out!" She shoved Stiles again, and this time Loki grabbed onto the back of her friend's shirt and pulled him out of the room.

"Check the back of her neck!" Stiles shouted as Loki pulled him into the hallway and Natalie slammed the door. He wrenched his arm free and stared at Loki imploringly. "You can convince her," he said. "You can do it – please." Loki shook her head.

"What does it matter, Stiles?" Loki asked quietly. "A lot has happened tonight. I think we've done enough damage for now." Loki turned away, remembering what Scott had told her in the car on the way to the hospital.

Theo had set him up. On the night of the supermoon, when aggression and power ran high, when Hayden was dying and Scott had refused to give her the bite to save her, Theo had locked Scott and Liam in the library sealed with mountain ash. And Liam had tried to kill Scott, so he could gain the power of the Alpha and save Hayden himself.

Loki was willing to bet that Theo's next step of the plan had been to kill Liam so that he would be an Alpha. And then there was Lydia…and of course the Sheriff…on top of all that, Scott had told her that he knew that Stiles had killed Donovan.

Loki closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against the cool wall of the hospital. When she opened them, Stiles was staring at her.

"What the hell is the matter with you?" he asked, none too gently. She didn't blame him. His father and friend were in the hospital, fates uncertain. His best friend thought he was a murderer. Loki shrugged.

"I was asleep," she muttered to herself. "I was sleeping when all this happened." She shook her head, mostly to herself. "I feel like I should have done something." Stiles was still staring at her when she finished speaking.

He didn't argue.

* * *

Loki stood in the morgue with Stiles, Scott and Melissa. They were all catching each other up on everything – specifically Lydia's condition.

"It's possible it's just a side effect of shock," Loki offered weakly, not really believing it. Stiles shook his head.

"She's catatonic," he insisted. "It's because Theo was digging through her mind." Melissa frowned, clearly confused.

"Why would he do that?" she asked. "What is he looking for?"

"The same thing he's always looking for," Scott said. "An advantage." The Alpha was bracing himself against a table, and Loki found herself analyzing his posture – wondering if it was a side effect of his injury or if he was simply tired.

"So what did he gain by trying to kill your dad?" Loki asked, looking at Stiles. It was Scott who answered.

"It left me alone with Liam," Scott replied. "Theo wanted to make sure no one would be there to stop him from killing me." Stiles huffed out an angry breath.

"So he gutted my dad as a distraction," Stiles muttered. Loki frowned.

"But he didn't do anything for me," Loki murmured. "I could have been there." There was an uncomfortable silence when no one disputed this. Scott touched Loki's shoulder.

"It wasn't your fault," he told her. _Yes it was._

"Even if it wasn't," Loki said, side-stepping Scott's comfort. "How did Theo know that I _wouldn't_ be there to help?" Again, an empty silence filled the void after her words. Nobody knew. Except for Loki.

Deep down, she knew the reason Theo hadn't orchestrated something to keep her distracted. Scott couldn't have called for help anyways, and Stiles probably wouldn't have called Loki - Theo was counting on that. But she could guess the message Theo was truly trying to send.

It was that Loki couldn't be counted a time of emergency, she wouldn't come through.

By the time Loki pulled herself out of her thoughts, her friends had moved on from Loki wallowing in guilt. Loki shook her head, trying to catch up. They were talking about tracking Theo down.

"He told me he didn't want my dad to die," Stiles was saying.

"And you believed him?" Loki asked incredulously, rejoining the conversation. Stiles shrugged defensively.

"He told me where to find him. Maybe he knows how to save him." Loki shook her head, looking down at the ground. She didn't believe that. But she didn't want to burst Stiles's bubble - not when it was something like this.

"What do you want to do, talk to him?" Melissa asked, raising an eyebrow. Stiles nodded.

"If it saves my dad, then yes." Scott stared at his best friend from across the table.

"I'll come with you," Scott offered. It sounded almost like he was begging. "He doesn't know that I'm alive, maybe that gives us an advantage." Stiles shook his head immediately.

"No, he'll know you're there," he argued. "I just need to talk to him. Not fight him." Stiles turned to leave the morgue, and Melissa called after him.

"Stiles. You can't go alone."

"Besides," Loki added. "Do you know how to find him? Does _any_ body know how to find him?"

"We don't have to find him," Stiles insisted. In the low light of the morgue, his face was pale and ghostly looking. His eyes were dark and wet. "He'll come to me."

* * *

Loki turned around the corner of the hospital, looking for Lydia. She wanted to keep an eye on her friend, even if from afar. Her eyes widened when she saw Natalie Martin talking to Doctor Conrad Fenris, a doctor at Eichen House. He was holding a clipboard.

"No," Loki muttered under her breath. "No, no." She leaned forward to listen to the conversation, hoping that she was just jumping to conclusions, as she walked towards the two.

" _…Eichen House is a very different place now,"_ the doctor was saying in a gentle voice. " _She'll be well taken care of. She'll be safe there."_ Natalie took in a deep breath.

 _"She'll be safe,"_ she repeated faintly. She was gripping this knowledge like a safety blanket. Dr. Fenris nodded, smiling encouragingly.

" _Just two signatures, Ms. Martin."_ To Loki's horror, the woman picked up the pen. " _I'll look after her personally."_

"No," Loki said again. "Ms. Martin!" She quickened her step. "Ms. Martin!" By the time Loki reached the woman, Dr. Fenris had already taken back the clipboard. Loki's heart pounded when he saw her. Dr. Fenris was by far the kindest doctor at Eichen…but something was off about him.

"Elizabeth," he tilted his head. He smiled coldly. She nodded curtly back at him, swallowing hard.

"Ms. Martin," Loki said breathlessly as the doctor walked away. "You can't – "

"She'll be safe there," Ms. Martin repeated. She wrapped her arms around herself, shaking.

"No," Loki protested, fear and frustration edging her tone. "No, she won't. Ms. Martin, please. You can't do this – you can't send her to that - that _place_." Loki spat the word out. She couldn't think of a description for Eichen that succinctly summarized her fear. Ms. Martin drew herself up, and looked at Loki.

"I did what I had to do," she said. With that, she walked away, leaving Loki standing there helplessly. Loki took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. If it was Doctor Fenris attending to Lydia personally, Loki reasoned with herself, what's the worst that could happen? He was a good man.

Then why did she feel so afraid?

* * *

Loki watched two orderlies load Lydia and her stretcher into the ambulance. Ms. Martin sat down on the bench next to her daughter, and immediately took her hand. She bent over her daughter, murmuring to her quietly.

"I'm going to get her out," Loki murmured under her breath. To her surprise, Ms. Martin heard, and turned to look at Loki in surprise. Loki met the older woman's gaze, her eyes steely with determination - and yet, almost feverish with obsession. "Even if I have to break down the walls."

"Good luck with that, Elizabeth," Doctor Fenris said. He smiled at her, and closed the door to the ambulance before heading up to the front seat. Loki watched him go. She was about to turn away, but something caught her attention.

Doctor Fenris's face was reflected in the side view mirrors of the ambulance. Only – it wasn't Doctor Fenris anymore.

It was Valack. _I'll look after her personally…_ he'd said.

An inhuman growl tore from Loki's chest and she screamed. The sound ripped from her throat, so agonized and angry that it surprised even herself.

"No!" she shouted, taking two steps after the ambulance. She would have gotten farther, but someone grabbed her waist and pulled her back. It was Jordan.

He stared at her in surprise. She was trembling in his grip, and she had an expression on her face that he'd never seen before. Her eyes were dark, staring out at something that Jordan couldn't see.

"Loki," he said, trying to draw her attention to him. She didn't respond, didn't look towards him. "Loki," he tried again. "What is it?"

"They took Lydia to Eichen," she told him, her voice curled up into a snarl at the end of her sentence, and she trembled harder. Jordan swallowed hard. "Ms. Martin signed the papers. That's where she's being treated."

"Okay," Jordan said, his heart racing. "Okay. Loki, it'll be fine, we'll get her out just as soon as – "

"No," Loki interrupted him. She fixed her vacantly staring eyes on Jordan's face. They were feverish looking, like she was fixated on an idea. "No, I'm getting her out. Now." Jordan shook his head slowly.

"Loki," he said, gently. "There's no way to do that legally." Loki stared at him. Before Jordan could try to reason with her further, she carefully but surely wrenched herself from his hold. She began to walk down the road, following the ambulance's path.

"Then I won't do it legally."

The words hung in the air, a promise that ensured violence and bloodshed.

And Jordan watched Loki go, wondering what he could do to stop her.

* * *

Loki twisted her claws in the stomach of another orderly at Eichen. The young man shrieked as more blood pulsed around her hand.

"Where," Loki growled. "Is Lydia Martin?" She punctuated the question with another twist of her hand. The orderly gargled.

"C – closed unit," he gasped out. "Sev – seventh door down. Please…." Loki withdrew her claws and tossed him aside. He hit the ground with a thud and a whimper, and curled away from her to protect himself. Loki looked around coldly, taking in the amount of bodies strewn around the room.

Stepping over the orderly she'd just tortured, Loki headed for the closed unit of Eichen. She passed different creatures, all contained behind the locked metal and glass doors. Some of them she recognized from years ago. Some of them she didn't.

Once Loki had reached the seventh door down, she paused. Peering in through the class, she could see Lydia. Her friend was prone across the bed, dressed in the standard Eichen patient ensemble. Her skin was pale and clammy, and her eyes were still vacant.

Anger coursing through her veins, Loki grabbed onto the handle of the door and twisted as hard as she could. The metal screeched below her grip and gave away with a whine. No sooner than the metal handle had hit the ground did the alarms start to blare.

Steadfastly ignoring the shrieking of the alarm, Loki kicked the door open and entered the cell. Lydia didn't move.

"Lydia," Loki hissed. There was still no response. Loki walked over to the bed and pulled her friend up into a sitting position. "Lydia, come on. We have to get you out of here." Loki managed to pull her friend over her shoulders, and the werewolf began to walk out of the cell.

As she did so, Loki found herself surrounded. Orderlies and nurses armed with Tasers encircled the two girls. Swearing under her breath, Loki shifted Lydia around so that the girl was draped across her back. It still wasn't an ideal position for fighting, but at least Loki could move relatively unhindered.

Swinging her foot out, Loki managed to take out two orderlies in one kick before any of them could react. She dodged another Taser swipe and then made a run for it. She made it about halfway down the hallway before someone jabbed her in the ribs with a cattle prod.

Crying out, Loki fell to the ground. Lydia, without Loki's hands to support her, slithered off the werewolf's back and landed on the floor staring upwards. As Loki's body twitched and writhed with electricity, Valack's face appeared over Loki's. She gasped in pain, staring at him in horror.

"Well, well," he said, smiling sadistically. "Elizabeth Carter has returned." He straightened up, looking at an orderly. "Get Lydia back to her room," he ordered.

"What about her?" The orderly asked, pointing at Loki on the ground. Valack smiled again.

"I believe _Loki_ has a cell here with her name on it."

* _END FLASHBACK*_

* * *

 **okay guys. here we go.**

 **as you may be able to tell, from my epic lack of updating, i've...kind of lost inspiration for this story.**

 **looking back on it, when i started writing this i had _no_ background whatsoever for Loki. i literally had no plan for how the story was going to go whatsoever. but i went with it anyways.**

 **and now...that's kind of catching up to me. it's hard to finish writing when i've made so many mistakes about her character, so many tiny inconsistencies.**

 **additionally, i already know these next few chapters are going to be tough - loki's just in eichen. i can't really do much with that. i'm going to try to flesh out her character more in flashbacks or something...but we'll see.**

 **that being said...**

 **i'm so close to the end of this. i'm guessing there will be maybe six or seven more chapters. i'm going to finish it, baring unforeseen circumstances. it's just going to take a while.**

 **anyways. that long explanation was super boring.**

 **thanks for reading, and please leave a review telling me what you think. :)**


	22. Interlude

**and a year plus later, i return.**

 **I _think_ my inspiration for this story has finally returned. Honestly at a pretty unfortunate time, I am _so_ swamped right now. Oh well.**

 **To Rose099: well, here's the update...over a year late. Sorry lol.**

 **To skiescloud: once again, better late than never? maybe? Idk.**

 **Disclaimer: I only own Loki.**

* * *

Loki hung in her cell in Eichen House, her breathing shallow. She'd only been in Eichen a few days, since her botched attempt to rescue Lydia, but the air was already rank with the smell of her blood. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the black substance dripping slowly down her arm.

Grimacing, Loki twitched her head to the side.

A loud buzzing filled the air of her cell. It was her phone, left haphazardly in the corner of the cell with some of her other belongings. Loki cracked her eyes open, blinking blood away from her eyes.

She could see the contact name from the other side of the room. It was Ethan. The buzzing stopped, and Ethan's message played out loud, his voice echoing through the cell.

" _It's me. Lo, pick the hell up. What's going on?"_ Ethan's voice was agitated. The girl hardly ever missed a call from the twins, and she had _never_ not called back within the hour. _"Call us back, please."_

There was a click indicating the end of the message and Loki let out a low whimper. She leaned her head back, so she was looking at the ceiling, trying to release the strain of the chain in order to stop the tugging of the nails in her head. It worked a little, but the angle made her neck ache.

Grunting, Loki let her head dip forward again, wincing as the movement sent a thrum of pain through her head. She closed her eyes, one thought penetrating through the haze of agony. _I should have left with the twins…_

 _*FLASHBACK*_

 _"Loki." The teenager tugged her earbuds off, looking up. Kali was at the door to her room. The elder female jerked her head back. "Duke wants you downstairs."_

 _"What for?" Loki asked, following Kali to the lower level of the house they were staying in. Kali grunted, jutting her chin forwards._

 _"Them."_

 _Loki followed Kali's gaze. Deucalion was standing in the center of the room below. Behind him were two young men, unfamiliar to Loki. Ennis was standing in the corner, looking at the two boys critically. Loki frowned, heading down the stairs._

 _"Who's this?" She asked disparagingly. She narrowed her eyes at the two boys in front of. They were her age, maybe a little older. One of them stood slightly in front of his brother. Loki's eyes flicked over the two of them._

 _The two boys were at the awkward stage on the cusp of adulthood – long, gangly limbs, skinny from a recent growth spurt. Both of them had a slightly unhealthy look, like they were underfed. Still, Loki could tell at a glance that they would be attractive someday soon._

 _Though the one standing in front of the other looked slightly more aggressive, she could tell on a glance that the one in the back didn't need protecting. Rather, the brother in front was merely a distraction, while the one in the back watched Loki's every move. She cocked her head to the side, observing with interest._

 _She could tell they were on edge. They felt out of their element._

 _"Loki," Deucalion said. She glanced back at her Alpha. He waved a hand towards each of the twins in turn. "This is Aiden and Ethan." Loki looked at the two boys again. They were clearly werewolves, but…_

 _"They're not Alphas," she said, slightly surprised. Deucalion had a whole point to this pack, so why were these boys here? Deucalion chuckled lowly._

 _"Not_ yet," _he agreed. Loki raised her eyebrows. Well,_ that's _intriguing. Deucalion beckoned Loki forwards, and she stepped forward obediently. She was only a few months out of Eichen, and she felt the incessant need to prove herself, time and time again._

 _Deucalion had saved her. She would do whatever he wanted._

 _"You're going to fight them," he told her. Loki nodded, turning to face the boys again. The one in front looked her up and down appraisingly, a small smirk on his face. It was clear he thought she was no match for them._

 _"Aiden," the other boy said, his voice low. It was a clear warning not to underestimate Loki. She grinned._

 _"You should listen to your brother," she told the boy in front – Aiden. Without any more warning, she struck forwards, hitting the first boy in the chest as hard as she could. She heard his ribs crack as he flew backwards, slamming into his brother. Both boys sprawled to the ground, and Loki straightened up triumphantly._

 _She cast a look at the other Alphas, an instinctive desire for praise. Across the room, Ennis chuckled. "Not bad, kid."_

 _The two boys were already climbing to their feet. Aiden was holding his side, his face contorted in a wince. Loki smirked slightly. She expected the pretty boys to give up, assuming that they weren't used to taking hits. To her surprise, however, they both rushed at her in a choregraphed attack._

 _One of them – she couldn't tell which – caught her arms and pulled them behind her back. He was strong for a young Beta, and before Loki could break his grip the other one caught her across the face with his claws._

 _Disoriented and surprised, the boy got in a few more hits before Loki reacted. She jumped up, slamming her upper body backwards and wrapping her legs around her attacker's waist. She twisted in their grip, shoving out with her feet and pulling free from his grasp._

 _Loki flipped into the air, landing on the ground behind the two boys. She stumbled slightly on her landing, swiping blood from her eyes with a frustrated growl._

 _"Ethan. Aiden." The two boys glanced towards Deucalion. "Remember what I taught you." The twins exchanged a look and Loki frowned. She took a step forward, and Deucalion stopped her. "Wait."_

 _In unspoken agreement, the two twins stripped off their shirts. Loki blinked._

 _"Woah," she said, her eyes wide. "Um…not sure I'm into this." Her statement earned her an irritated growl from both twins. She watched curiously as one of the twins knelt down, arching his back slightly._

 _The other boy took a deep breath, like he was focusing. Both of them had their eyes closed. The standing twin placed his hand on his brother's back, and Loki's eyes went wide as it sunk into the skin._

 _Her mouth fell open as the two bodies began to merge into one. The twins slid together slowly, forming into one huge werewolf. They blinked their golden eyes, snarling at Loki._

 _"What the fuck, Duke?" She asked in shock, staring at the monstrous form in front of her. The creature took a step forward, and Loki took a wary step back._ _This was_ way _more than she had bargained for._ _"You could have_ warned _me." Deucalion chuckled._

 _"This is training for you, too, Loki," he told the young Alpha. "Besides…I wasn't sure they would manage to do it." Deucalion's voice betrayed his surprise, but he seemed pleased. As if to prove Deucalion's point, the conjoined twins took another step forward and promptly stumbled._

 _Loki couldn't stop the snicker that rose in her throat, and the twins growled in anger. They took another step forward, steadying themselves. The twins snarled again, preparing to fight. Loki nodded._

 _"Alright," she said, holding her hands. She shifted into a defensive stance. "Let's go."_

* _END FLASHBACK*_

An Eichen House security guard was at his usual position behind the locked gates. He shifted his weight, stifling a yawn. The walkie-talkie at his waistband beeped and then crackled. His supervisor was asking for a check-in.

"South gate clear, over," the guard responded, turning to face the stairs. As he lowered the walkie-talkie from his mouth, the gate behind him creaked. Frowning, the guard turned around. It had cracked open.

Unnerved, the guard stepped forward. He'd been _positive_ he'd checked the lock and it had been latched securely…maybe he was so tired he'd forgotten. He might've chalked the movement up to his carelessness and wind, but the night air was still. He took another step closer, his eyes falling on a drop of viscous looking-liquid dripping from the latch.

"What the hell…" he muttered. He reached for his radio, about to call in for backup. Before he could, there was a loud snarl behind him.

Whipping around, the guard's eyes went wide. There was a girl behind him. Half of her body covered in scales, and she had fangs and claws. The guard scrambled for his walkie-talkie, but before he could call for help, she had slashed him across the chest.

His first thought was _that didn't hurt that badly. I can barely feel it._

His second thought was _wait, I can barely feel_ anything. Heart pounding in fear, the guard's legs collapsed beneath him as he went completely numb, unable to move an inch. He trembled with fear as the girl loomed over him.

The girl, Tracy, tilted her head to the side, and then stepped on his walkie-talkie. She brought her foot down hard, crushing the machine completely.

Her destruction of the device sent a wave of screeching static to the other machines on the same channel. Across the courtyard of Eichen House, a more seasoned security guard pulled out his walkie-talkie to turn it off.

As he clipped the device back onto his belt, the hairs on the back of his neck rose. Acting off instinct, he unclipped his cow prod and whipped around.

Electricity crackled around the device – it was strong enough to floor almost any creature, supernatural or otherwise. Surprise and terror flooded through the security guard as the boy who had snuck up behind him caught the weapon, roaring loudly as he easily absorbed the electricity harmlessly.

The boy's eyes glowed purple as he snarled, and the electricity began to flow the opposite way down the cow prod. The security guard's eyes rolled up into his head as his body began to jerk with the electricity.

As he fell to the ground, the electricity coursing through him, the boy turned away. Josh crossed the courtyard, regrouping with his pack mate. The two chimeras entered Eichen House, and their third pack member peeled off from where he'd been camouflaged by the wall.

"Visiting hours are well past over," the orderly at the front desk said in a bored voice, not looking up from the chart he was observing. Tracy smiled coldly.

"We're not here to visit," she said. The orderly looked up. He didn't appear to be at all shocked by the three teenagers clearly non-human appearances. He eyed them coldly.

The door opened again, and the orderly's expression shifted slightly. His eyes narrowed warily as the chimera pack's leader strode up to the front desk.

Theo Raeken smirked.

"We're here for Lydia Martin and Elizabeth Carter."

* * *

 **ok i know this chapter is super-duper short but it was kinda a test to see if i a) still have readers and b) see if i could get back in the grove of writing for teen wolf.**

 **please let me know how i did! seeing the few reviews i got and the follows and faves really gave me the inspiration to continue with this story. i think i can finish it...just give me some feedback, please? pretty pretty please?**

 **i would LOVE a review.**


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